


Imaginary Love

by GlazedDounuts



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Awkward First Times, Break Up, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Friendship, Gen, Heavy Angst, Hurt, Implied/Referenced Underage Prostitution, Love, M/M, Post-Break Up, Romance, Unrequited Love, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-03
Updated: 2020-04-02
Packaged: 2020-04-07 05:44:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 21
Words: 113,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19078675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GlazedDounuts/pseuds/GlazedDounuts
Summary: With his older brother’s upcoming wedding; Sehun is struggling to find a plus one.With his friends presistant invites to going out so he can finally get laid; Sehun is struggling to move on from his last relationship.One night out, and the next thing he knows is that he is sharing his bed with Kai, who flips Sehun’s life upside down with his snarky comments, mysterious aura and the ever so rare acts of kindness.One encounter turns into a business deal of a fake relationship between Sehun and Kai, who are like the sun and the moon, total opposites





	1. Pink Hair

**Author's Note:**

> I've been trying to finish this story for well over a year, so I thought why not post it? It'll give me some type of encouragement to keep writing it. :) 
> 
> Hope you enjoy this shit show,  
> Much love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment, I would absolutely love your feedback.

The aching in Sehun’s skull ebbs and flows like a cold tide, yet the pain is always there. He understood at once why they called it a hangover since it feels as if the blackest of clouds were over his head with no intention of clearing until late afternoon. Sehun groaned, feeling waves of nausea adding to his misery, trying to comfort himself he rolled over his bed trying to wrap himself in his duvet only to shriek, lose balance and fall on the ground with a soft thud. 

There was an intruder in his bed, and the intruder was in a peaceful, deep slumber. Sehun, on the other hand, wasn’t sure what hurt more; his pounding head and blurry vision or his backside from the fall. He quickly closed his eyes trying to remember what happened the night before, because he was most positive that he had decided to stay at home and revise for his upcoming exams. 

A small creak makes Sehun turn around sharply at his bedroom door, letting in the cool air and only then he realised he was naked. “Sehun-ah, I bought you some painkillers- what the fuck?” 

“Don’t you knock?” Sehun gasped, grabbing onto the first thing on the ground, which turned out to be a crumpled shirt to cover his privates with a glare. 

His roommate, Baekhyun, was holding onto a small tray that contained two white pills and a bottle of water. But he quickly and quite carelessly placed it on the edge of the over-flowing study desk. Baekhyun has a Cheshire-like smile, looking back and forth between Sehun and the intruder in Sehun’s bed, linking up the information. 

Sehun can feel the anxiety, building like unstoppable snowballs in the pit of his stomach. He couldn’t concentrate on anything else he was doing apart from how he was going to lie, about the mysterious man in his bed. 

Small and incoherent flashbacks from the previous night were slowly reappearing in his memory. 

“You are getting so boring, Sehun,” Baekhyun complained, watching the younger boy flip through his notes, unbothered. His desk was a mess, open books filled with highlights, sticky notes with unintelligible handwriting and his stationery was scattered all over. 

“Baek’s right, you’re no fun anymore,” Chanyeol added walking into the room with a half-eaten sandwich at hand. “I know you have your exams soon, but seriously, you haven’t been out with us since forever..”

“My exams are in September, and I am not boring.” Sehun scoffed, not bothering to glance at the duo.  
“ September? That’s donkey-years away! We barely started in August.” Chanyeol cried dramatically. 

“We are in the middle of August, and it’s not ages away because of my exams st-,” Sehun paused and looked up at the pair. “You don’t even care about the dates, why are you bothering me and not Kyungsoo?”

“Kyungsoo is sleeping to recharge,” Baekhyun explained walking over to Sehun’s desk.  
“Recharge?”  
“Because all of us are going clubbing! Including you!”

“No.”  
“Why?”  
“Because I need to study for-“

“BORING! Seriously, you’ve been so uptight lately. Plus, we need you to loosen up and you know what that means…” 

“Getting some action,” Chanyeol answered with a cheeky grin. 

Sehun’s blush seared through his cheeks and for a minute he though his face was on fire. “I do get action…”

“Liaaaaar! You are so prude it’s really sad, when was the last time you got laid?” Baekhyun mocked. 

Sehun looked at his lap, knowing his friends can clearly see his reddened and embarrassed face. It wasn’t his fault he wasn’t very social, he wasn’t a people-person like his friends. He needed time to open up and be comfortable with others. And the only person who truly broke through his protective walls was his ex-boyfriend, Sehun hasn’t been with anyone since then, and he really wasn’t ready to try, to get his heart-broken again. After all, he was still in love with his ex-boyfriend. 

“It’s been a year, Sehun-ah,” Chanyeol sighed, looking at his friend with sympathy. “You need to get out there and meet some people.” 

“Exactly! Stop being a pathetic, antisocial loser who sits inside his room to study 24/7, and occasionally leaves the apartment to stock up on snacks or to visit his brother.” Baekhyun snapped in annoyance. 

Sehun didn’t realise he was gripping onto his notes tightly, as he blurted out in anger. “I do have someone and we have been dating…f-for four months!” 

Baekhyun and Chanyeol seemed very taken back by the outburst. Sehun was taken back alongside them, he couldn’t believe he had lied about having a boyfriend, who was non-existent and to make matters worse he couldn’t simply take it back, partly because of his man-pride and partly if he told the truth, he would never hear the end of it. 

The trio sat in silence for a few minutes until Baekhyun crackled in laughter. “No way! You have a boyfriend?” 

Sehun felt his chest tighten in mild annoyance and anxiousness, that his friends didn’t think he was capable of keeping a lover. “Yes..”

“What’s his name?”  
“Not saying.”  
“How did you meet him?”  
“I am not doing this.” 

“Is he hot?”  
“Leave me alone.”  
“Show us a picture.”  
“Nope.” 

“You soo don’t have a boyfriend. Since he doesn’t have a name, nor is he hot and not to forget the most important piece of information that you don’t have a picture of him,” Baekhyun concluded with a smirk. “Anyway, get ready by 10, we’re going to find someone for you to fuck away your worries with.” 

Sehun blinked repetitively, slowly coming back to the real world. And how shit it seemed, he thought. 

Sehun stared at Baekhyun in apprehension, then back at the man in the bed. Suddenly, Baekhyun slammed the door shut and his footsteps can be heard disappearing along the hallway but his voice was travelling throughout the small apartment to his other housemates, screaming something about his virgin eyes burning from the sinful acts he had just witnessed. 

Sehun knew he was in deep shit, and he only had approximately around 6 minutes to sort it out before his friends were going to barge in and start asking questions whether the mystery man was awake or not. And what made matters worse, he didn’t have a clue on what went on the previous night apart from the fact, that he presumably had sex with the man in his bed. 

Sehun scrambled from the floor to his cabinet pulling out a pair of boxers. He didn’t want to waste another second as he jumps onto the bed and pulling the duvet off the stranger, only to reveal a mop of unruly pink hair. Sehun grabbed the stranger by the shoulders and began shaking him vigorously. 

“Wake up, we don’t have much time!” Sehun hissed hysterically startling the latter, who snapped his eyes open in alarm pushing Sehun away from him in sudden panic. 

“What the fuck!” Pink-hair shouted, only to have Sehun cover his mouth quickly as he glances at the door in fear.

“I know, I know! Listen we have roughly around 4 minutes before my friends barge in here and mock me for lying about having a boyfriend and how they are always right; since I had sex with you — I assume because my hips hurt — and I am always the wrong, inexperienced one who does nothing but study on a Friday night!” Sehun rambled. 

The intruder stared at him in a daze, and he has every right to be since he was woken up in such an odd manner. He didn’t know what to think of this absolutely bizarre situation and he didn’t have time to actually generate proper sentences nor thoughts about what was happening because Sehun continued. 

“So please I am begging you,” Sehun removed his hand away from the other’s mouth carefully, in fear that the stranger was going to scream. “Pretend to be my boyfriend! Please, please or I will never live this down!” 

Pink-hair stared at Sehun and blinked a few times to actually make sure this wasn’t all dream. “Fine, fine get off me!”

Sehun didn’t even realise he was practically sitting on the latter’s stomach, and so he quickly jumped off him. The pink-haired stranger, sat up with very dishevelled hair and a naked torso. He began scavenging his clothes that were tossed on the floor from the night before and started to dress quickly with Sehun talking about their plan in the background. 

“We don’t have much time to execute this plan, so hear me out, we walk out into the bloodbath and act like-“ His words were shorted. 

“Dude calm down, I’ll act like your boyfriend and you just walk me out, okay? stop being up my ass about this.” Pink-haired exclaimed rudely with a roll of eyes, tugging his skinny jeans up his waist. 

“Right…” Sehun concluded awkwardly. “Please don’t bail on me..”  
“What time is it?” Pink-hair asked instead, pulling over his head his low-cut vest and grabbed onto his hoodie. 

Sehun glanced at his alarm clock that was flashing a very vibrant green 11:52 A.M. Pink hair followed his gaze and his eyes widened in surprise. “Shit, I’m gonna be late.” 

“What?” Sehun blurred out.  
“What do you mean ‘what’?” Pink-hair hissed running to the door with his sneakers in one hand. “I need to go.” 

Before Sehun could say something pointless and quite embarrassing, the intruder walked out of the room in a haste, not bothering to glance back at Sehun who rushed behind him in utter fear and mild pain from the alcohol he consumed, the night before. 

The pink-haired stranger was staring back and forth between Sehun and his three housemates. Sehun knew that every single pair of eyes were looking at him - all eagerly waiting for a reaction, a response, like predatory beasts. His brain started to fire out negative thoughts like a gun. His heart was starting to beat harder and faster, adrenaline levels rose, as a cold sweat broke out, all over his body. 

“Will you look at that,” Baekhyun smirked as if he had everything figured out and it just made Sehun feel worse. 

The pink-haired intruder looked briefly at the hyperventilating Sehun before taking pity on the boy. “What does it look like?” 

Baekhyun raised his eyebrows in surprise that he actually spoke. 

“It looks like our prude got laid last-night when he left the club early,” Baekhyun explained with a smile, making Sehun’s face heat up and swallow down a string of explicit words that were laced with venom. “I told you guys he didn’t have a boyfriend.” 

“At least he got some action, the blond girl punched me in the balls for asking her if I could take a sip of her fancy drink.” Chanyeol grumpily added. 

“Kyungsoo hand over the money.” Baekhyun grinned in satisfaction, watching the short male counting up his loses. 

“Y-You betted on me having a boyfriend or not?” Sehun croaked in distress. 

“Come on, Hun. You didn’t really think your lie worked, did you? The only committed relationship you have is with your books.” Baekhyun laughed out loud, taking the money from Kyungsoo’s palm. 

“Baekhyun.,” Kyungsoo warned.  
“What? I was kidding, you can take a joke can’t you, prude?” 

“Baby, you didn’t tell them about us?” Pink-hair pouted tugging the waistband of Sehun’s briefs as their hips collided and he snaked his arm around Sehun’s waist. 

“What?”  
“What he said,” Chanyeol commented with wide-eyes, pointing at Baekhyun. 

Sehun didn’t trust his voice, so he shook his head still in shock that Pink-hair was actually keeping his part of the bargain. Pink-hair pouted even further and looked back at the other three in the room with his head resting on Sehun’s shoulder. “He didn’t want everyone to know, but I didn’t think he didn’t tell you guys.”

“Nice to meet you.” Kyungsoo nodded his head in acknowledgement in a monotonous tone, unlike Chanyeol who stared at both of them with a dumbfounded expression. 

“You’re his boyfriend? I don’t understand how is this even possible for someone like you to take someone like Sehun! If anything-” Baekhyun blubbered in pure perplexity. 

“I know, I can’t believe he is mine either.” Pink-hair agreed sharply as if daring Baekhyun to continue his sentence. 

“How did you two meet?” Chanyeol asked curiously. 

Pink-hair glanced at Sehun for help who stared back at him still astonished that it was going very smoothly with an arm around his bare waist. Snapping out of it, he grabbed Pink-hair by the wrist breaking free from his firm grip and pulled him towards the front door of the apartment. “We are not going to do this.” 

“Why!” Chanyeol whined childishly like a 5-year old only to get hit in the back of the head by Kyungsoo; Sehun’s saviour. “Fine, what’s your name?” 

Sehun looked at Kyungsoo in desperation, sending telepathically messages to the latter in order for Kyungsoo to help him keep Chanyeol’s gobby mouth shut. But Kyungsoo looked intrigued himself by the question as his eyebrows rose upwards slowly and crossed his arms over his chest facing Pink-hair instead of Sehun’s panic-stricken face. 

“Don’t answer that-“  
“Kai.” 

Sehun looked back at him in surprise, that he was being so calm. Pink-haired Kai was currently tying his shoelaces on the floor, glancing up at Sehun who stared at him in bafflement and sent him a cheeky wink with a matching smirk as he stood up. 

“He even has a cool name, Soo!” Chanyeol grinned proudly, hitting and shaking Kyungsoo’s shoulder. 

“And Kai is leaving, and you will never see him again, so..” Sehun trailed off, opening the door for his pretend boyfriend who snorted. Next thing he knew, Kai slammed his lips against his and nearly knocked all of the wind from his lungs. Sehun hardly had a moment to react before Kai pressed his tongue to the seam of Sehun’s lips and, at Sehun’s grant of access, his tongue slid inside his mouth. It was a very sloppy kiss with the strong scent of vodka being exchanged in the intermingling of their billowing breaths. 

“Fuckin’ disgusting…” Baekhyun could be heard in the background but was largely ignored by the others. 

Kai broke off the kiss, pushing Sehun by the chest lightly. “I’ll call you when I get home, ‘kay baby?” 

Sehun breathless and stunned barely managed a nod, brushing his fingers against his swollen lips. He watched helpless, alongside his friends, Kai walking out of the apartment with a small click of the door, indicating he was truly gone.

“That,” Kyungsoo grabbed the money from Baekhyun’s palm. “is mine. Told you he has a boyfriend.” 

“How did you get a sex-on-legs boyfriend?” Chanyeol praised patting Sehun’s shoulder in support. “Did he beg for you to date him?” 

Sehun opened his mouth to reply but Baekhyun beat him to it. “Probably the other way round, this is so absurd.” 

Kyungsoo rolled his eyes, counting his money to make sure the amount is correct. “Why? Because he has a boyfriend, a hot one at that too, and you don’t?” 

“Don’t put words in my mouth, Kyungsoo.” Baekhyun scoffed walking towards the open kitchen in search of a clean glass. 

“Not liking what you hear?” Kyungsoo taunted, shoving his money in his back pocket. “Just because of Jongdae-“

“Don’t you dare say his name!” Baekhyun hissed in vex.  
“Hit a nerve did we?”

“Guys..” Chanyeol said, glancing at Sehun who looked equally worried. 

“You know what? You are so full of shit, Kyungsoo.” Baekhyun snapped. 

“I might be, but at least I’m not an ass to others for my own benefit,” Kyungsoo explained calmly walking towards the front door. “Just because Sehun has a boyfriend and you don’t, doesn’t mean it’s something to mock. He like Kai and vice-versa, so why do you have to make him feel bad about it?”

Baekhyun threw the half-drunken glass of water in the sink.“If Sehun had a fucking problem with the way I talk to him or anyone else for that matter, he can say it to my face.” 

“I’ll be heading out, see you later,” Kyungsoo said casually, closing the front door behind him. 

“Does it bother you? I am only kidding you know that because there’s no need to be sensitive, right?” Baekhyun asked looking at Sehun who nodded his head hesitantly. 

“Right..no need to be sensitive, it’s all talk,” Sehun uttered quietly.  
“Exactly! All talk, tell that to dick-soo!” Baekhyun exasperated pointing at the front door. 

“Sehun,” Chanyeol called making the latter turn around still in deep thought. “You’re basically naked.” 

“I am?” Sehun asked in confusion looking down and he was. The only coverage he had were his black, briefs. Exposing his milky, marble-like skin. “I am.” 

“You are.” Chanyeol laughed lightly, watching Sehun cover his nipples. 

“Thanks for the information, I could have used earlier on.” Sehun pouted sticking out his tongue.  
“It made everything funnier.” Chanyeol shrugged with a lopsided smile. 

“I’m out, don’t wait up for me.” Baekhyun declared grabbing his winter coat from the coat-hanger and exited the apartment leaving it with a tension-filled atmosphere. 

“Ignore him, you know he doesn’t mean it,” Chanyeol mentioned softly. 

But Sehun knew behind every snide comment was a small prickle of truth, Baekhyun spoke. He also knew the reason behind it and he simply didn’t defend himself because he knew how much Baekhyun was hurting for the past few months, but he couldn’t help but feel belittled. The negative thoughts kept coming like waves on rocks. The arguments in his head were getting so fast and so disturbing that his brain was shutting down his body. The sweat has completely covered his body and his heart felt like it’s about to explode. 

“I’m going to shower…” Sehun spoke hoarsely. 

☾~~~~~☽

Sehun was in deep trouble. He knew his stupid and irrational mind will get him into something like this. And now after being threatened by his older brother to bring his boyfriend; who is quite fictional, since he wants his wedding to be absolutely phenomenal. Sehun sighs as he remembers the awful events that happened in the coffee-shop. 

Sehun has been excited to see his big brother whom he hasn’t seen in over a month, knowing that the elder of the two was extremely busy preparing his wedding with his soon-to-be spouse. 

Junmyeon seemed pretty persistent on meeting up with Sehun for an important matter that related to the wedding and Sehun thought it was about time that Junmyeon asked him to be his best man, after all, they are brothers. So when Sehun found his brother sitting by the window in the coffee shop, he couldn’t help but grin. 

“Junmyeon!” Sehun squealed in delight attacking his brother into a bone-crushing hug.  
“Hey, kiddo.” Junmyeon laughed patting his back. 

As both of them settled back into their respective seats, Sehun noticed that Junmeyon ordered for him a drink already and once he tries the mystery cup, Sehun honestly wishes he hadn’t. Because it was disgustingly bitter, but he tried to keep a poker face, subtly pushing away the paper cup from his view. 

“I missed you so much,” Sehun pouted only to earn a chuckle. “I’m serious, I just want the wedding to be over.”

“So do I, and as much as I miss you that isn’t the sole reason I asked you to meet up.” 

Sehun straightened himself with his shoulders leaned back and chin high feeling glorious, having a clear idea of what his brother might want from him. “Don’t worry, I’ll be a great best man-“

“You need to get a date for the wedding.”Junmyeon cut him off abruptly. 

Sehun paused, blinking at his brother in confusion as his smile slowly decreases into a thin line. 

“What?”  
“I want the wedding to be absolutely perfect, and I can’t have my brother come to the wedding single.” He explained. 

“Are you saying you’re embarrassed to have me at the wedding if I come dateless?” Sehun gasped rather melodramatically earning a roll of eyes. 

“No, I mean that you either bring a date with you to the wedding or I’ll bring one for you, myself.” Junmyeon threatened leaning back as he examined Sehun’s scandalous state. 

“Junnie..” Sehun pleaded. “I can’t believe you would do something so horrifying to your baby brother!” 

“Why is it horrifying? If anything I’m doing you a favour, god knows how long you’ve been single now.” 

“That is rude and uncalled for,” Sehun leaned back with a scowl. “I’m still heart-broken and you as my brother should be trying to make me feel better, instead of ordering me around like a dog!” 

“Why do you have to be difficult all the time, you’re worse than Jongdae.” Junmyeon huffed in annoyance taking a sip of his hot beverage which Sehun assumed was just as bitter as his. 

“I don’t care! I won’t go to the wedding then!” Sehun threatened but the dark aura that suddenly surrounded his older brother made him unconsciously shudder. 

“Listen to me Sehun, I am stressed as it is with this wedding planning because people think it’s a goddamn joke about the salad dressing since they keep getting my requests wrong and I don’t need you added on my list of problems. So you better find yourself a motherfucking boy to accompany you to my wedding or I will literally bring someone to the wedding myself and you guys can have your blind date there.” Suho whispered aggressively leaning in as his voice got louder and louder by each word that left his mouth. 

Sehun shuffled his chair backwards and leaned back for good measures just in case Junmyeon was going to claw his eyeballs out of their sockets. “I-“

“No. My answer is no.”  
“You didn’t even let me finish!” Sehun hissed accusingly. 

“I don’t care, I want my wedding to be absolutely flawless. And you’re ruining it, so for fuck-sake get out of your room and stop mopping about your ex, and try to find someone okay?” 

“I do have someone!” Sehun snapped sitting upright. “And I don’t mope about Luhan, so take it back!” 

Junmyeon’s hand hovers over his half-drunken liquid drink, slowly blinking as if Sehun was speaking another language all together since his thoughts can’t function properly. “What? When did you have a boyfriend?” 

“I said take it ba-“ Sehun paused feeling blood rush to the top of his head and spread around his face with his mouth gaping wide open as if waiting for flies to land on his tongue. He needs better strategies than blurring out false claims, but truth to be told he already fooled his roommates into thinking that his one-night stand, pink-haired Kai, was his boyfriend. And it would be only a matter of time before one of the three spread that piece of information like the plague. “4 months ago…” 

“Oh, that's fantastic,” Junmyeon clapped his hands together with his face brightening, as Sehun’s darkens. “What’s the name of the lucky guy?” 

“K-Kai.” Sehun stuttered, even though it’s been over 2 weeks of the incident of forcing Kai into pretending to be his boyfriend in front of his roommates.

☾~~~~~☽

Troubled, Sehun entered the 24-hour convince store, in need of some serious grub to comfort his thoughts. As he wanders around the quiet store until he finds what he needs. Cookies. 

Sehun reaches for the box but clumsily it slips out of his grasp making a dull thud on the floor, he quickly obverses his surrounds in fear that he had startled some costumers. But then again who would be shopping at 3 A.M. 

It turns out, there is someone who shops at 3 A.M. and it was a pink-haired male standing a few feet away from ignoring his presence as he hovers over the confectionary section himself. Sehun double-takes to make sure if he wasn’t hallucinating or it was a mere coincidence that the pink-haired male, was none-other than Kai. 

The same Kai that slept with him and pretended to be his fake boyfriend to his three friends. 

Pink-haired Kai looked exactly the same. His hair was in a dishevelled state, wearing tight black jeans with so many holes, that there really seemed no point in them, a flimsy jacket that was undone, and a low-cut shirt underneath it that exposed his collarbones. 

Kai was so focused on his task that he didn’t see or hear Sehun flap around with the cookie box. Sehun was openly staring at the sun-kissed male, still in shock that fate had decided to be a sister to him for once and not fuck him over. 

Kai was clearly having an internal battle on what item he should buy. In one hand he was holding onto a rich-dark chocolate bar and in the other was a handful of lollipops that were significantly smaller in size to the large bar. His face was extremely appealing with prominent cheekbones. He looked so friendly and harmless, not the type of face you would assume to see in a convenience store at 3 o’clock in the morning. 

Sehun shook his head thinking Kai most likely will not have remembered him since the incident has happened 2 weeks ago and they were both hungover that morning. So the chances of remembering him were slim to none, and he started to curse Fate under his breath for truly fucking him over. Unconsciously Sehun groaned loudly in displeasure grabbing another box of cookies, turning on his heel he froze. Kai was looking at him. 

Kai was the first to break the silence. “Are you the guy that shouted at me to be his pretend boyfriend in front of his friends?” 

Sehun was in his polka-dot pyjama pants, a large coat that was zipped up with his thick sweater underneath, holding two large boxes of double-chocolate chip cookies. He shook his head quickly but just as quick he gave in and confessed lamely he was. 

“Yeah..” 

Sehun watches Kai’s mouth widen into a grin which turned into laughter that was quickly brought under control. Kai tossed the sweets carelessly on the shelf, grabbing the dark chocolate and glanced back at Sehun. 

“Well, I’ll see you around—maybe.” Kai nodded his head towards Sehun and stalked off. 

Sehun’s brain began to calculate thoughts quickly. If his thoughts were visible, they would be an inverse explosion, crazy chaotic turns and twists of light all coming together to just one idea, to just one word. 

With that, Sehun quickly ran after Kai watching the pink-haired male place his chocolate bar on the counter about to speak only to get startled by Sehun grabbing onto Kai’s wrist. “Wait!” 

“Don’t fucking touch me!” Kai hissed pulling his hand free and taking a step back with caution from the other. 

“Sorry, sorry!” Sehun exclaimed in a haste, taking a step back himself clearly taken back by the aggressive reaction he had gotten. He looked like a kicked pup, especially since he was wearing his pyjama pants and an over-sized coat. 

Kai glanced at the man behind the counter watching the exchange with a weary expression, not wanting any trouble in his store. And Kai clearly wanted to buy and if he gets into a scuffle with Sehun, he is going to get kicked out empty-handed. 

Sighing Kai eyed the latter with his lips pressed firmly together. “What do you want?” 

Sehun’s eyes glimmer with sudden hope and he starts to speak with his hands to exaggerate his topic. 

“You remember when I asked you to be my fake boyfriend?” Sehun began.  
“Yeah, It’s kind of hard to forget someone climbs on top of you, screaming about being a lame fuck.”

“Yes..right, well I- what I meant was, that if you-me-us could try again.” Sehun gave Kai a sheepish smile that wavered as Kai rolls his eyes rudely. 

“I don’t do serious relationships, so my answer is no.” Kai turned around to face the employee, gesturing with his eyes at his items on the counter. 

“What?” Sehun blurred out confused. 

Kai shoved his hand into his back pocket pulling out crumpled notes, not bothering to glance at Sehun. “I said, I’m not into you or a serious relationship.” 

Sehun pursed his lips unsure if he should be offended and leave or not take offence and try to explain to pink-haired Kai in a simpler interpretation. He chose the latter. 

“I’m not interested in you either, that’s not what I meant,” Sehun started watching Kai gesture to the worker behind the counter at the cigarette rack behind him. “I mean since my friends saw you as my boyfriend, I thought we could continue where we left off?” 

Kai didn’t know how Fate decided to fuck him over by having some stalker who he slept with. In the literal sense, just sleep - no fucking, no sex. Kai didn’t have a good night’s sleep in a long time until he met the stranger outside of the club a fortnight ago and he can remember their meeting clear as day. Not because he fell in love with the stranger’s charms but he was hard to forget by the way he behaved. 

 

The pink-haired male watched as Sehun stumble outside of the club holding onto anything tangible to steady him. Sehun ended up falling on the ground after tripping over an open crack on the floor as Kai laughed at the latter’s misery. Sehun looked up giving Kai the stink-eye, slowly standing up to steady himself and walks towards Kai. 

Kai naturally looked confident, leaning against the wall with a cigarette in between his lips, grinning at Sehun watching him get into his personal space. Sehun placed one hand above Kai’s shoulder while the other reached out toward’s the pink-haired boy making him think he is going to get kissed. Instead, Sehun ripped the cigarette out of Kai’s lips and moved back, looking green-faced. 

Kai glared about to throw some insults at Sehun but paused watching Sehun empty his dinner near his feet making him squirm and moving away slightly. Sehun looked at his pile of vomit then looked back at Kai who had his face twisting in disgust. 

“Am I boring?” Sehun slurred. 

Kai raised his eyebrow in surprise by the soft voice but said nothing studying Sehun’s frame. 

“I mean, do I look like I have no social life and my friends are only made up of paper and they don’t speak back to me, even though I want them to.” Sehun blabbered on. 

Kai gave him a shrug, but he had an amused smile on his face pushing himself away from the wall and towards Sehun. “I don’t know, but you look fun and I like people who have fun. Don’t you?” 

Sehun scrunched up his nose as his bottom lip stuck out in concentration at the question before nodding his head in agreement. “Yeah..” 

Kai nodded his head in silence, observing how Sehun seemed to stumble towards a navy convertible digging his hand into his pocket trying to fish out the car keys. Kai’s eyes widened obviously dazzled by the car and hastily walks towards Sehun wrapping one hand around his waist while the other was around his shoulder’s trying to help him balance. 

“Hey, could you give me a ride?” Kai asked casually.  
“I’m not sure…I shouldn’t even talk..talk to stranger-rs.” Sehun explained slowly.  
“Fair enough man, but I’ll pay you.” Kai nudged Sehun with a smirk. 

“But I don’t know you.”  
“You do now, I’m Kai. And I will pay you handsomely if you give me a ride.” Kai gave him a charming smile which Sehun seemed to mimic. 

“Okay! Let’s go.” Sehun shouted throwing his car key in the air, as Kai’s eyes widened quickly catching the key. 

“I’ll drive..” Kai said wearily, watching Sehun pause from entering the driver’s side, nodding his head in agreement before walking over to the passenger side. “What’s your address?” 

“I said I’m not interested, and plus you should go find someone who is waaaaaay better than myself,” Kai exasperated grabbing onto one of the lollipops on display that usually bribe the customer to add another thing to their purchase. “This too, yeah?” 

The worker nodded his head, began typing the barcode of the cigarette’s since the scanner was broken and the employee was taking his sweet time, with Kai tugging at the hem of his sleeve in aggravation wanting Sehun to go away. 

“What? No, no you got it all wrong. I don’t want you to be my boyfriend, I want you to be my fake boyfriend!” Sehun emphasised. 

Kai exchanged glances with the employee who shrugged his shoulders as if to answer. “Why do you think I’ll agree? I’m busy, so I’d appreciate it if you could just-“

“I’ll pay! Please, I’m begging you! My friends already saw your face, I can’t hire someone else and I-I have money saved up!” Sehun reached out to grab Kai’s arm but Kai took a step back with his arm raised in defence. 

“Just tell them you broke up with me or something?” Kai complained. 

“It’s complicated…My brother’s wedding is coming up in two weeks and if I don’t bring a date he will bring me one himself and if that’s not embarrassing enough, my friends will mock me for life telling me how much of a prude I am!” Sehun hissed with his face flushed scarlet staring at the tiled floor. 

Kai raised a questioning eyebrow to the employee who looked equally shocked by the outburst, holding onto the plastic bag that contained Kai’s items. Kai peered back at Sehun, scanning him trying to see if he had been telling the truth or it was another psychopath who wanted to get Kai into bed. Kai looked back at the employee who gestured at Kai to speak to Sehun, urging him on. 

Kai stood still glancing at the lanky boy with a scowl before letting out an obnoxiously, loud sigh. 

“Fine, whatever.” 

Sehun snapped his head back to the pink-haired male in front of him with a grin. “Thank you, thank you, thank you so much!” 

“Wait, how much cash we talkin’ here?” Kai inquired. 

“200 doll-“ Kai’s eyebrows shot upwards unimpressed. “I-I mean, 400 dollars? no, not that?”  
“No not that,” Kai repeated monotonously.  
“550? 600 dollars that’s a lot!” Sehun complained. 

“1,000 dollars.” Kai crisply stated. 

“800 dollars! That’s all I can offer because the rest of my money is divided into; my rent, food, clothes, bo-“ Sehun was quickly cut off by Kai. 

“Fine, fine! Stop whining you’re giving me a migraine,” Kai grumbled, sliding his money on the counter and grabbed his plastic bag off it. “How long do I have to pretend?”

“2 weeks,” Sehun informed walking briskly behind Kai as they exist the warm convince store and into the cold weather. “Starting from tomorrow?”

Kai tilted his head back groaning, turning to face Sehun with a glare that the latter greeted with a nervous smile as they cross the empty road. “Fine, give me your phone.” 

Sehun reluctantly rigged out his mobile and handed it over to Kai who paused and looked up. “What’s your password, sugar?” 

Sehun’s face quickly flushed by the nickname. “9412.” 

Kai typed in the password and began to quickly fiddle with the hand-phone in silence as the light from the screen was casting light upon his face. 

Sehun stared at Kai’s illuminating face, studying Kai’s look of concentration with the tip of his tongue sticking out of his mouth and his eyebrows furrowed inwards with his eyes looking focused. Sehun blinked, inwardly congratulating himself for being a genius to get to claim the human being across from him as his fake boyfriend for the next two weeks. He just hoped Kai was a friendly fellow.

Kai’s phone began ringing, and he pulled it out glancing at Sehun. “What’s your name? You never said?” 

“Ah, sorry, Sehun. Oh Sehun.” Sehun tried to smile softly but he probably thought he looked like some sort of creep since Kai was staring at him with an unreadable expression and simply handed over his phone to Sehun. 

“Okay Oh Sehun, type it in - for the right spelling and all that jazz,” Kai said flatly. “I called myself on your phone, so typing it today would be nice.” 

“R-Right.” Sehun slammed quickly writing his name down. 

Oh Sehun. (Boyfriend.)

“Here you go, thank you again for doing this..” Sehun said appreciatively but Kai looked extremely disinterested not even taking a glance at his phone before shoving it into his back pocket. 

“So, when do you pay me?” 

“The last day of our deal, which is the wedding day,” Sehun explained firmly. 

He wasn’t one for confrontations but he isn’t going to give Kai - practically a stranger - 800 dollars before the wedding just in case the pink-head would do a runner and disappear with the money. 

Kai nodded his head, pulling out his chocolate bar and ripping open the package with his teeth. “Sounds fair.” 

“What do we do now?” Sehun blurred out which earned him a chuckle from the latter.  
“Well I don’t know about you, sweetheart but I have a bed that is calling my name.” Kai smiled cheekily. 

Sehun’s eyes widened in a comical way at the nickname making him feel hot under the collar, unlike Kai who seemed laid-back munching on his dark-chocolate. Obviously, since Sehun wasn’t thinking clearly by the look of things, Kai thought he’ll take the lead for this dead-end conversation. 

“I think your bed is calling you too, Sehun. How about you call me tomorrow and we met and talk.” He chirped. 

“Yes, good idea!” Sehun nodded his head a little too desperately. 

Kai had already begun walking away from his fake lover, turning around to give him a mocking salute that was accompanied by a laugh. “See you tomorrow, soldier!” 

And with that Kai disappeared into the darkness, as Sehun dragged himself back to the apartment trying to wrap his head around the fact he now has made his first deal with the devil.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment, I would absolutely love your feedback.


	2. Deal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment, I would absolutely love your feedback.

Sehun was late. Sehun was frazzled. Sehun was regretful. Sehun just wished that Fate could stop ruining everything he tries to do or avoid in life instead of making him face the consequences of his reckless actions. So there he stood outside the local restaurant with butterflies in his stomach and his head buzzing with possibilities. Sehun entered the mediocre eatery, and rather awkwardly tried to explain to the server at the front desk, if his boyfriend; fake one at that, has arrived. 

“Pink hair, do you know where he is sitting?”  
“Sir, I don’t understand what you’re trying to imply here.”  
“I mean, has a man ordered a table already?”  
“Many men have ordered tables..”

“Yes, yes of course they have, but I mean has a man with pink hair ordered a table?” 

“Well, there is a possibility that a man with pink hair might have ordered a table at some point throughout the duration of this restaurant’s opening.” 

Sehun was beginning to loose hope in this dead-end conversation, since the worker obviously doesn’t understand such simple questions. So with that, Sehun straightforwardly ordered a table somewhere in a dark corner, so nobody in his social circle could possibly find out about this meet-up. But then again, his social group was extremely small so the chances of such an incident to happen were slim to none. But instead of a dark, lonely corner like he requested he got stuck outside in the golden rays of the sun with a table that had a fancy umbrella, exposed to the public eye with only a white barrier that was setting them apart on the uneven pavement baring the cracks of age. 

“I need to call him..” Sehun muttered under his breath feeling extremely vulnerable in his lonely umbrella table, surrounded by couples and large friendship groups. 

Fumbling to get out his mobile phone from his pocket rather awkwardly, he started to look through his contact list until he found the dreadful character. His thumb hovered over the caller ID feeling exceptionally cringeworthy. 

Baby bear Kai. ♡

Sehun didn’t want to call Kai more than necessary, in case the latter suddenly decides that Sehun is a pest and a clingy one at that too. But Kai was nowhere to be seen, unlike Sehun who was wide in the open. His face, rigid with tensions, belied his youthfulness, Sehun seemed to have aged a decade in the past few minutes. 

He was already late, but he didn’t realise he was the only one that was late since Kai was still a no-show. And Sehun was cursing the living day out of Kai’s existence thinking the boy had a change of mind and left him stranded in this restaurant with a fancy umbrella table that he truly hated, since it made him look more of a twat than he already was. Considering the fact that Chanyeol thought it would be hilarious to scare Sehun this morning, with a hockey mask and a knife in the kitchen causing the latter to spill all his berry juice all over his fluffy, snow-white sweater as he fell to the ground screaming ‘Don’t fuck me in the asshole, please!’ repeatedly. 

In a fit of sudden, but silent rage Sehun gripped onto his phone tightly, knowing that karma will come and ruin Chanyeol in the future, and if not, he will.

What he didn’t realised was that his phone was now calling his fake boyfriend, making him shriek and drop his phone on the table as if the electronic device was burning him. Sehun placed his hands on either side of his head with the bottom row of his teeth showing along with the corner of his lips pulled into a frown. 

“Cute, is that what you call me on your phone baby?” A deep voice snapped him out of his internal melt-down. 

It was tall and slim, and has a mop of unruly rosy-pink hair. It wasn’t an it at all, because it was Kai giving him a dazzling smile revealing the bronze glow on his prominent cheeks. 

Suddenly all of Sehun’s preparations from the night before flee his mind like scared children, his brain feels full of static like an old television set that lost the signal. Sehun freezes. Part of him is screaming and wanting to run away aborting the mission completely, but he knows his future for the next two weeks is here. 

Kai snorted at the mute response, seating himself across Sehun in a similar attire to the night before, if not the exact same skinny black jeans that had numerous holes, a light unzipped jacket and a low-cut shirt underneath exposing his collarbones. 

“You typed that in when I gave you my phone to exchange numbers,” Sehun replied after over-coming the shock. 

Kai raised his eyebrows in amusement resting his elbows on the table. “I know, I was kidding. Chill the fuck out man.” 

“I am chilled… the fudge out.” Sehun explained slowly, as he moves his phone to the side trying to avoid eye-contact feeling extremely flustered knowing his face was turning into a vivid shade of scarlet. 

Kai tilted his head, studying Sehun’s rigid posture with a cheeky smile leaning back, and sprawling his legs out. Originally he was going to bail on Sehun, maybe threaten him over the phone about slicing him up into small diced pieces if he ever approached Kai or called him but Kai refrained from doing so. Because he thought it would be quite entertaining to see the out-come of this scheme, and if it did work out he might create it into a business.

“Okay, let’s start over because you look like you have a pole up that ass of yours,” Kai explained casually. “Hi, I’m Kai and I’ll be your magnificent fake boyfriend for the next two weeks.” 

Sehun stared at the bronze male across from him dumbstruck, Kai gave him an encouraging nod with his left eyebrow arched urging him to speak. And he does. “I’m Oh Sehun, and I am not usually clumsy..my friend is, that-that’s why I have football-size blueberry stain on my jumper…” 

Kai opened his mouth to reply but a third party joined into the conversation. “Hello, I’m Leo and I’m going to be your waiter for today.” 

Sehun nodded his head in acknowledgement receiving his menu. 

“Call me, once you have chosen.” 

Kai didn’t even give the waiter a second-glance, and most certainly didn’t touch the menu, unlike Sehun who gave the worker a friendly smile and nod. 

Sehun covers his face with the menu pretending to busy himself, but he was literally mumbling incoherent words that were accordingly to him words of encouragement. Sehun needed to pull himself together, he was not going to be humiliate himself in-front of his fake boyfriend. Especially if they are going to be seeing each-other for the next two weeks. So with that small pep-talk he had with himself, he peeked above the menu only to see Kai staring right at him. 

“So,” Sehun began lowering his menu and giving the latter an uneasy laugh. “Are you going to order the-the steak?” 

“Nah, I’m not hungry,” Kai shrugged. “You should order thought, I took a break from work for this so we better hurry it along.” 

Sehun agreed quickly, signalling the waiter. “I’m new to this whole ordeal, you could say.”  
“As in what? You never dated or you’re a virgin oooor you lied to your family about being gay and now you fucked up?” 

Sehun knew his face was colouring again, and he cursed his inheritance for making his face expose his emotions so quickly. 

“I most certainly did not lie to my family about my sexual orientation!” Sehun hissed quietly not wanting to attract attention but it looked rather weird to see both himself and Kai sitting together with their respectively different physical appearances. 

“Alright no need to go in a mood, sweetheart.” Kai flashed him a cheeky smile. “I just assumed, because the last time we met..it was interesting.” 

“We are not going to speak about that dark past, because it should never be revealed to anyone,” The waiter approached them as he pulled out his small note-pad. “And it’s rude to assume before you ask!” 

“What can I get you, gentlemen?” The waiter asked with his pen ready.  
“Can I get the Caesar salad, without tomatoes.”  
“Drinks?” 

Sehun glances at Kai who gives him a nonchalant shrug, and if Sehun wasn’t bad at reading body-language he would have said something beneficial instead of blurring out random words. “Red Champagne.” 

“What?” The waiter paused and stared in perplexity. 

“I said, you’re a real champion!” Sehun gave him a forced laugh and to make things worse, he punched the waiter’s shoulder gently with an awkward smile. “Banter, y’ know me…” 

“I-I don’t,” The waiter replied. 

Sehun catches a glimpse of Kai who has a shit-eating grin unsure if he should laugh or continue watching the scene unfold. Sehun couldn’t believe this was going worse than the time he was awkwardly stuck in-between a couple who's french kissing with only inches between his face and theirs. “Sure you do Theo! We go way back..”

Kai’s eyebrow arched upwards delight, with Sehun adding fuel to the fire he was going to throw himself in. “Yeah, you wouldn’t believe the stuff me and Theo did, crazy things..” 

“Like what?” Kai challenged still grinning from ear to ear. 

“Crazy stuff…We could be sitting here for a long, long time y’know? But Theo has work to do.” Sehun said hurriedly wanting this nightmare to end. 

“Aaah, it’s totally relatable.” Kai nodded his head knowingly finding Sehun more amusing by the minute. And for once, he doesn’t think this was totally a terrible idea, because so far this kid is far too entertaining for Kai to help the poor soul revive some of his dignity.

Sehun’s blush was creeping through his neck all the way to the tip of his forehead as he downcast his face at an angle to hide his eyes from everyone’s eyes. The waiter stood still glancing at Kai, who was dissolving into a soft chuckle at Sehun. 

“You never answered what you wanted…for drinks..” 

“Water, and can you hurry up with the order Theo? You’re dear pal Sehun wants to disappear from the face of this Earth, so the sooner the better.” Kai replied looking at Sehun face-palming with his elbow supporting his face on the table. 

“It’s Leo.” The response made Sehun wince watching the waiter walk away. 

“After that cute reunion, can we establish some ground rules for this,” Kai paused and gestures between himself and Sehun. “Whatever this is.” 

Sehun nodded his head earnestly wanting this uncomfortable meeting to be over and done with. 

“If I do this, you need to understand that this is strictly a business relationship. You’re not buying a fuck-toy, you’re hiring a boyfriend.” Kai explained dryly, as Sehun squirmed. 

“I’m not looking for someone to have…sex with.” 

“Unless you want to pay extra, I’ll give you that service,” Kai smirked suggestively but Sehun quickly shook his flaming head from side to side. “Why do you need me for two weeks, if this wedding is in two weeks time?” 

Sehun straightened his posture trying to calm his nerves, and avoid any negative thoughts that would swarm his mind about his embarrassments throughout his life. “Because I am going to be helping with the wedding since I’m the brother’s groom…and that involves a lot of family gatherings and a bachelor party and yeah.” 

“So you’re the best-man?” Kai concluded leaning back.

“No.” Sehun scowled looking away for a moment in annoyance, because he should be the best-man, after all, it’s his only brother’s wedding but Junmyeon didn’t ask him at all. 

Kai nodded his head as a notification went off and he automatically frowned not bothering to open the message. Instead he looks at the home screen reading the time and glancing at Sehun. “Listen, I’m in a hurry so do you have any specific rules I need to follow?” 

Sehun stared at Kai dumbly, because he didn’t. He didn’t know what he should or shouldn’t ask the rosy-head man because he wasn’t even sure the said male was going to even show up. After his theory was proven wrong, Sehun didn’t know what he needed to do. 

“Well, I don’t check messages so that’ll be pointless for you to try. So if you ever need me, call me,” Kai continued swiftly. “I work a lot, so I might not be able to make it sometimes, well, a lot of the times.” 

Sehun snapped his head at Kai with his eyes dangerously narrowed. He wasn’t one to be played with, especially if it involved most of his money and dignity. “What? That isn’t part of the deal!” 

“The deal was that I’ll be your boyfriend for two weeks, you didn’t say anything else.” Kai defensively answered. 

“I thought it was self-explanatory!”  
“I’m not your fuckin’ slave. I have a job, and I can’t exactly bail out on any of my meetings.”

“I’m paying you 800 for two weeks of talking and pretending! And I would prefer it, if you weren’t intangible for goodness sake!” 

“Are you deaf mate? I said I can’t bail out on my meetings! if I lose my business meetings, then I won’t have a place to stay.” 

“You’re being overly-dramatic.” Sehun stated with his lips pursed. 

Kai glared at Sehun with a despicable scowl, slamming his palms on the table attracting attention from several people nearby. He was already regretting his mistake of agreeing to be Sehun’s boy-toy, even if the pay is impressive Kai needed to continue working since Sehun wasn’t going to give him anything in advance. And it’s triple the amount he gets in a week at work if he was a lucky man. 

“Yeah well, you’re not the one who is barely making cash, alright? So you either give me 400 in advance or I’ll walk.” Kai threatened. 

“You agreed to this deal and it’s not very noble of you if you don’t stick to your word.” Sehun frowned in disapproval. 

“I don’t have time for this crap,” Kai groaned tilting his head back. “Give me 400 now or I’ll leave you.” 

“How dare you try and blackmail me.” Sehun gasped with a hand on his chest. 

“I'm not the one that needs you here buddy, you are.” Kai scrapped his chair back raising from the table with a scoff. “Your friends saw me, and you lied about having a boyfriend and you literally begged me back at the convenience store.” 

Kai began walking away from the table, dodging their waiter who gave him a weirded out look but Kai ignored it and left the restaurant. He didn't have time for things like that, he barely had time for himself because he was so exceptionally busy trying to make a living for himself. Sure he felt bad for Sehun, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t in a tricky situation himself, money was tight for him, and the least thing he should get was an advance payment so he can be the supposedly committed boyfriend to Oh Sehun. 

Unexpectedly, Kai felt something tug his arm and he immediately flinched and recoiled away only to see Sehun panting for oxygen with his hands over his knees. “I only have…100 on me.” 

“What?” Kai blurred out. 

“I said, I only have 100 on me and that’s all you’re gonna get,” Sehun explained in exhaustion.  
“Are you serious?” 

“You think I run, out of pure pleasure? Yes I’m serious,” Sehun frowned brushing his fringe back into decency.  
“You have yourself a deal, Twinkle.” Kai grinned sticking his hand out for confirmation. 

“Only if you are going to be at my beck and call.”  
“I’m not your slave, I have other things to be doing than ru-“ Kai was cut off abruptly. 

“No you are not my slave but my boyfriend for the next two weeks, so you should act like it for the next two weeks. I am paying you in advance so we don’t run into any complications later on,” Sehun clarified with exaggerated hand gestures. 

Kai glared at Sehun with sudden annoyance, he didn’t like that he got played. It was supposed to end with him manipulating Sehun into handing him 400, but now the tables have turned and Sehun had the upper hand and Kai knew it. Kai needed the money desperately, and if he wasn’t so desperate he would have spit in Sehun’s face and left. 

“I’m not going to offer you any more money until we finish two weeks starting from tomorrow. So it’s either 100 in cash and you pretend to like me or no money for you and no dignity for me.” Sehun finished. 

He knew better than to throw a tantrum and lose the possibility of such an abundant amount of money for him to gain, so he glanced at Sehun’s hand in mid-air and shook hands tightly, with a face like thunder. 

“Two weeks of being your pretend boyfriend and I get the rest of my 800 dollars in cash, understood?” 

“But you can’t bail on me when I call I expect you to be there,” Sehun emphasised.  
“You got yourself a deal, deal?”  
“Deal.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who understood the lame joke of Red Champagne? cause there is no such thing as red champagne, Sehun was supposed to say red wine. lol.


	3. Neuroscience

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment, I would absolutely love your feedback.

“My brother wants to meet you, so he invited you-me-us technically, to cake testing…for the day.” 

“I can’t believe I’m wasting my Friday to eat cake,” Kai scoffed walking beside Sehun on the pavement. “With your brother who is the one getting married, right?” 

Sehun had called up earlier on when Kai was preparing to go to work, ruining his plans of getting anything done for the day. So instead, here was Kai walking almost in the same carbon copy clothes Sehun met him last time. Which consisted of a lot of black; tight black jeans with numerous holes, black baggy hoodie and matching sneakers that Sehun presumed were white once and now covered in so much dirt it has been shaded. 

Unlike Sehun who was wearing a pale green jumper with a picture of a bearded musician in the centre and blue jeans and white sneakers that were in the same condition as Kai’s. 

Their physical contrasts attracted a lot of unwanted attention. They couldn’t look different; from the colour of their hair all the way to the way they walk. People kept giving them funny looks as they passed by, making Sehun feel extremely conscious. But Kai was utterly unfazed by the reactions if anything he was very nonchalant. Although that being said, Kai can literally feel Sehun posture go tense with his eyes darting around like a lost child looking for its mother. So feeling sorry for the chap, Kai opted to glare at any passer-by’s to let the other relax. 

“I’m on a diet anyway..” Kai muttered but Sehun heard him clear as day. 

“Why? You’re really skinny though.”  
“I know. That’s the point of a diet, dumbass.”

Sehun nodded his head quickly feeling awkward again with the pink-head. He didn’t know what possessed him to go through with such a ridiculous idea. If strangers thought it was bizarre to see them walking side by side, he doesn’t even want to think of the reaction his close friends and family will have upon seeing them at the wedding in two weeks time. 

“So what exactly did you tell your brother about me, Sweetheart?” 

Sehun’s eyes widened as his eyebrows flew upwards like scared ravens that noticed the scarecrow a little too late. “Um that you, y’ know…” He trailed off avoiding eye-contact. 

“What it can’t be that bad, come on. I’m good at acting, role-playing is like super-easy.” Kai boasted with a smirk. 

“I said that you major in neuroscience.” 

Sehun only realised after 4 steps exactly that Kai fully stopped walking beside him. Turning around his fake-boyfriend who looked dumbfounded for a moment with his jaw slacking open. Unconsciously Sehun began squirming in his spot since Kai wasn’t moving at all instead staring at Sehun. And he was absolutely possible if they were in the future Kai would have fried him on the spot with his intergalactic laser-beam that could be used as a phone also. 

“What the actual fuck is wrong with you!” Kai shouted across the street as people paused from their doings to watch. “Neuro-fucking-science! How the fuck did you get away with that without choking on your own spit? Do I look like I would major is something so..so..ugh! You stupid, stupid man!” 

Sehun unconsciously flinched at every word even though he was at a safe-distance and thankfully in public so if he was murdered - or possibly fried by a future Kai would teleport right in front of him - the people around were witnesses and the nation would be sad to see someone like Sehun go. Well not the nation, maybe a majority of 10 people? He doesn’t count his aunt Sora since she always has something bad to say about the way he eats and prefer-

“Are you listening to me?” Kai snapped, waving his hands in front of Sehun’s face. 

Sehun blinked, numerously. Unsure of how Kai was right in front of him, looking more annoyed on a close-up inspection. Maybe this was future Kai about to kill him with his laser-beam phone. 

Kai realised that it was hopeless to argue with the other, even if it did make him feel better to let out a string of very vulgar profanities. But right now, he needs to regroup his thoughts because he doesn’t know how in the world he is going to survive something like this. Hell, he never even meet any of his ex’s family to meet a fake-lover’s family. He was losing it, Kai was sure. 

Sighing Kai reached to grab Sehun by the elbow only to have the man-child stumble back a few steps with his arms flapping in the air like a frightened chicken, knowing it's going for the chop. “I-I know how to fight. I have a belt in Taekwondo.” 

“I’m not gonna hit you,” Kai rolled his eyes grabbing Sehun by the elbow dragging him away from the slowly forming circle of phone cameras that was aimed at their direction. “God, I wish I could though.” 

“It’s abuse. I could charge you for assaulting me.”  
“I thought you knew Taekwondo?”  
“I do, I just don’t want to hurt you.”  
“Likely story.” 

They walked in silence for a few minutes with Kai continuously sighing and running his hand through his unkempt rose strands. Sehun felt guilty for troubling the latter but he did pay him some of the money so he should go through with the plan. He was afraid that Kai was going to pull out, giving him the money back and leave. He doesn’t think Kai would go far enough in giving an apology, even if it could be half-assed. 

“I’m sorry, I panicked because he looked really excited when I said...I had somebody.” Sehun looked up giving Kai a small frown.

Kai looked at him took pity, letting out an airy laugh. “I don’t even know what neuroscience is. Man, couldn’t you of picked something easier? like I don’t know a barista?” 

“He cornered me,” Sehun said defensively. 

“In the future, if someone asks you something that puts you in an awkward situation, you boomerang it.”  
“What? Boomerang what?”  
“I mean, you respond with either a compliment or a question. Questions are for men and compliments are for women.”  
“Okay. I think I can do that. Anything else?”

“Random words. It throws them off the main topic, the perfect distraction.”  
“Any particular words?”  
“Just random words, man!” 

“What else have you told him about your neuroscience boyfriend Kai?” Kai snorted still in disbelief as he shakes his head lightly. 

“I- a few things..”

“Lighten up, sunshine. It’s not all doom and gloom. My temper tantrum is over, so go ahead.” Kai explained running ahead and crossed the road without looking both ways, Sehun was completely, and utterly appalled that the rose-head would do something so dangerous.

Kai literally stopped in the middle of the street waiting for Sehun with is hands on his hips, making Sehun’s eyes look bug-eyed. “Hurry up! I’m gonna die! Save me, sugar!” 

Sehun felt his cheeks heat up at the nickname, still not used to the sudden display of public affection. Quickly rushing across the street - after looking both ways, because he wasn’t going to die for Kai - and dragged the latter forcefully to the pavement with a lot of struggle since Kai thought it would be funny to become dead-weight and walk slow. “Stop being a child! Can you take this seriously please?” 

“Well come on, start talking then! You can’t expect us to walk inside of that cake place like complete strangers you need to know some basics about me and vice-versa. We don’t have much time, baby.”

And that he did. Sehun began a self-introduction about himself and he internally cringed because it felt like he was in his first-day high-school again and had to do the unspoken routine of ’Say your name and what you did this summer’. He added a few more details about what he told Junmyeon. And surpassingly Sehun learned a few things about Kai, but not much to the point of not calling him a stranger. He only knew the basics, because according to Kai it didn’t matter much about his own portfolio since Sehun was the one who created these lies and the whole facade. So it’s all up to Sehun about Kai’s personality in front of others. 

Kai knew a few things about his new fake boyfriend. Like Sehun is majoring in English Literature because he prefers books over people hence the obvious fact of his roommates. His favourite colour is orange but the type of orange hue you see in sunsets, he has a sweet-tooth but hates sour candy. He also found out a few basic things about this fraud four-month relationship. 

Such as he was the one who asked Sehun to date him, which is ironic. The first time they met it was in the coffee-shop when Kai noticed Sehun walk in and was mesmerised but his beauty so much so, that he knocks over a dozen cups of travel-mugs on the counter. And Sehun being a saint helped him and they chatted afterwards than when it was time to say goodbye Kai asked Sehun for his number to continue where they left off for a dinner date. Kai tried to not laugh throughout the whole conversation, because to him it was all fictional bullshit. If anything, Sehun bumped into him, Sehun talked to him first, Sehun asked for his number and Sehun was the one who got mesmerised by his beauty not the other way round. Most certainly not. 

Kai also found out a few things about himself that he didn’t know before he met Sehun. For example, that he was into neuroscience - He still doesn’t know what it fully means, but the word sounds hard let alone spelling and learning about it - and he was at the top of his class. He also enjoys playing basketball by the Han river in the morning, and owns a cat named- 

“Why the fuck do I have a cat named General Kitty McMittens? Dude how do you even start a conversation with that?!” 

“I panicked! He asked if you were an animal lover because he is a vet so if you weren’t an animal-lover he is going to hate you.“

“General Kitty McMittens? Are you serious? You couldn’t have thought of something like Fluffy? or Sam?” 

“I thought it would make you seem approachable…”

Kai opened his mouth in outrage about close it with a huff trying to control himself. Instead, he turned to look at Sehun, he was beyond confused on how someone like him would end up single. Sehun was handsome and dressed well Kai isn’t going to lie about that and seemed innocent enough to look like a reliable boyfriend. But it doesn’t matter to him much, because in two weeks time he is going to have the full 800 dollars in his back pocket. 

“You need to google what Neuroscience is..”  
“You have your own phone.”  
“You put me in this mess, so it’s your way of apologising.”  
“What? I’m paying you!” 

“Time is ticking, if you want this to be a complete failure and get embarrassed at the wedding because your date has a lazy-eye, ashes around his cracked lips and likes to flirt in Pig-Latin. That is your choice. Not mine.” 

☾~~~~~☽

They finally approach the said Bakery, they got lost on the way making them late by 18 minutes exactly. Not that Sehun was counting. They stood outside of the Bakery that was literally covered in white and red decorations; from the small sign on the floor that had cute drawings of the products with their prices to the doormat that said ‘Welcome’ and all the way to the help sign that was stripped in reds and white. The windows were triple-glazed and so clear that the panorama is like a high definition screen at the movie theatre. 

“Remember boomerang it, random words and stay calm,” Kai repeated casually, grabbing Sehun’s hand and intertwining it with his own. 

Sehun tried to not violently react to the latter’s touch, for a few reasons. He didn’t want to scare Kai way by spasming like a fish out of water due to the physical contact he hasn’t had in so long and Kai’s hand was ice-cold so that was something Sehun disliked, he hated the cold. 

“Okay,” Sehun whispered about to push the door open only to get pulled back by Kai.  
“Wait, wait!” 

Sehun turned to face his boyfriend, fake one at that too, with his lips pursed together tightly and eyebrows knitted closer. Kai released his grip from Sehun’s hand and covered his face for a few seconds before slapping his cheeks. “I’m feeling a little nauseous. I think this is too much Sehun like I think I went overboard with this idea.” 

“What? No, no no!” Sehun gaped frantically like a drowning child in an inflatable pool. 

“You’re talking about your brother, who is the groom! To the damn wedding! I’ve never met anybody’s family, which made me think I can meet yours.” Kai gasped incredulously covering his mouth. 

“Why are you telling me this now? I thought we did well like the last half-hour!”  
“I don’t know, I don’t know man! W-What’s your last name again?” 

“Oh! Oh Sehun!” Sehun half-shrieked and half-pleaded watching Kai rock himself back and forth lightly. 

“I thought it was Lee!”  
“What? Who the hell is Lee?” 

“I can’t,” Kai dug his hands into his back pocket pulling out the 100 dollars Sehun gave him the day before handing it over to the hyperventilating other. “I have to go. Sorry!” 

“No!” 

Kai turned around about to leave Sehun to face his dilemma alone. Sehun was about to chase after Kai, but the rose-head paused his third step and turned around bumping shoulders with Sehun’s and a huge grin that showed-off his prominent cheekbones. Kai hit Sehun in the chest lightly, but Sehun thinks it might bruise later, because he bruises quickly. “I’m fucking with you, stop panicking. Chill.” 

Sehun stared at him trying to remember how to breathe, unable to speak, totally stunned by the cruel joke. Kai was still grinning from ear to ear like a fool but to Sehun he looked like the Joker in disguise. “Don’t do that.” 

Those three words seemed hilarious to Kai because he was laughing like a maniac clapping his hands together in delight like he just cured world-hunger. And it was annoying the living daylights out of Sehun. “That was a really awful thing to do.” 

“Come on, we’re already late.” Kai clutched Sehun’s wrist sliding his hand until they intertwined their fingers together and entered the bakery but to Sehun it was like the doors to hell have been unleashed. It was now or never. 

They walked into the cute bakery hand-in-hand, it was like the TARDIS small on the outside but large on the inside. It had decorative cakes on one side while the other was covered in glazed-looking pastries of all sorts and sizes. If you walk a little further, in the centre were several tables that consisted of couples with small cakes all but one. The couple without food on their table were both male and seemed to be in a deep conversation that was filled with meaningful smiles and playful chatter. 

Sehun paused his step to watch his brother totally head over heels with his future spouse. He was glad that Junmyeon found someone who appreciates him all the good and all the bad, he just wishes Fate would’ve helped him a little too so he can find his soulmate. Sehun glances at Kai who was observing the delicious delicacies with raised eyebrows. Sehun thinks he might have judged Kai too quickly even though this is their fourth official meeting, maybe he had gotten the bronze male all wrong. Sehun was about to take another step forward only to be pulled back by his fake-lover. 

“Hey, can you give me the 100 back?” 

Sehun stared at him dumbfounded, digging in his back pocket to retrieve the said paper. Did he judge Kai too quickly? maybe not. 

“Forgot.” Sehun hands him the folded note and watches him shove it carelessly in his back pocket. Kai gives Sehun a mischievous grin and pulls him along. 

Junmyeon and his spouse stopped their conversation once they noticed the fake couple looming over the table. Junmyeon gasped and hugged Sehun tightly then retreated back as his finance stands up with an angelic smile. “Sehun! I’m glad you made it, this is my husband Lay.” 

Sehun has met his elder brother’s fiance a few times, and truthfully not because he wanted too. But from what he concluded Lay was a sweet and honest person and it was very obvious that Junmyeon means a lot to him. Sehun feels a little guilty for not making an effort to get to know Lay properly but truth to be told he wasn’t in the right state of mind to speak to anyone at the time, let alone his brother’s lover. 

Kai shook hands with Lay firmly and Sehun followed. When he averted his eyes to face Sehun’s sibling he was unnerved but he didn’t show it. Because Junmyeon’s eyes were fixated on Kai and rather intently as if trying to figure out if he was an alien, Kai acted natural giving him a soft smile in return and ran his hand through his rosy-hair. 

“Hello.”  
“And you must be Kai?”

“The one and only! You’re even more handsome than the pictures that Sehun showed me. They do you no justice.” Kai laughed lightly with a hand in his back pocket while the other holding onto Sehun’s hand.

“Thank you. I’m Sehun’s only brother, Junmyeon, but you probably knew that.”  
“Have a seat please.” Lay gestured to the two unvaccinated chairs across from him. 

Sehun sat down stiffly with Kai beside. He was sweating bullets, it was such a terrible idea and he just had a feeling that Junmyeon knew that Kai wasn’t his real boyfriend. His anxiety was building slowly feeling knots in his chest tightening by the minute if this was a fake meet up how the hell is he going to ever get through a real meet up. He has barely even stepped outside of the walls of his shared apartment for the last year, let alone meet someone as dangerous looking as Kai. Jolting Sehun back into the present was Kai’s hand on his knee softly creasing with his thumb as he talked to Junmyeon. 

“-You must be very smart then.” Junmyeon complimented, making Kai chuckle and shake his head in denial.  
“Neuroscience isn’t that hard, it's basically researching anyone can do it.”  
“I don’t think anyone can research about such a subject so easily,” Suho replied casually. 

Lay was re-reading a few pieces of paper that if Sehun was not mistaken in his brother’s neat handwriting. 

“You just have to be good at dealing with anatomy, biochemistry and..” Kai paused trying to recite the information Sehun and he had been revising earlier, in the end, he gave Junmyeon a warm smile as if he hadn’t stumbled. “And yeah basically.” 

Junmyeon was about to speak only to see a worker approach them. “Mr.Oh we, unfortunately, do not have orange flavoured-cake currently it has been out of stock since last Tuesday.” 

Junmyeon raised his eyebrows unimpressed with a scowl. “What? I specifically called in advance a week beforehand if you have the orange and poppy-seed available. I made it crystal clear that when I arrive for the cake testing appointment I will be able to test every single flavour I have listed down on my list. I made it very clear!” 

Sehun’s eyes widened alongside Kai’s both exchanging a look. But Sehun’s was one filled with embarrassment that his brother’s inner bridezilla was coming out in front of Kai and the world, unlike Kai who was amused and leaned in towards his so-called boyfriend’s ear his lips inches away from his ear. “He has your ugly scowl.” 

Sehun didn’t even realise that he had been holding his breath the whole time until Kai peeled himself away from the latter and leaned back watching a raged Junmyeon trying to be calmed by a flustered Lay. Sehun only then registered what Kai said and glared at the other who still had his hand on Sehun’s knee. Out of spite, Sehun pinched Kai’s hand making the pink-head flinch knocking his knee against the table and bringing all of the attention to him. 

Kai gave them a sheepish smile rubbing his pained knee, but he shot Sehun an angered look with his eyes burning in annoyance. After a few antagonising seconds Lay had convinced that Junmyeon did not need to test the orange poppy-seed cake because his mother was allergic to any nuts and apparently that includes poppy-seeds. 

The worker was shooed away by Lay to go bring the next cake on the list. 

“What were we talking about?” Junmyeon inquired watching Lay intertwine his fingers with his own on the table an open show of affection that made him smile. 

“Neuroscience. My major.” Kai explained casually, with his hand onto of Sehun’s trying to act as normal as possible but truth to be told he was crushing Sehun’s bony fingers under the table while the latter tried to break-free from Kai’s cruel revenge without looking strange. 

“Ah yes! Did you take upper-science anatomy?”  
“Anatomy? Sure I did. I’m not at the top of my class for no reason.”  
“Oh that’s fantastic I did too! which university do you attend? Because only a few in Korea take in upper-science anatomy.” 

“Hm?” Kai replied with is plump lips sucked inwards, eyebrows sky-high causing faint creases on his forehead. 

“What’s your university called?” Lay explained with an easy smile. 

Sehun froze. He felt like someone poured cold water on him because he did not think this conversation would go west. He is kicking himself in the head for not researching university names because he thought it didn’t matter what university Kai was in as long as his major sounded difficult making him look smart in the process. Unfortunately, a little late to realise he didn’t think about this in-depth to the point of having to classify universities based on certain fields. 

“That doesn’t matter, can we stop with the interrogations?” Sehun stated stubbornly wanting the topic to change.  
“This is not an interrogation, I’m getting to know your boyfriend,” Junmyeon complained with a playful roll of eyes. 

The worker arrived just in time placing a large plate filled with numerous colourful looking slices of cake with minute flags on each one so it will be easier to identify. Junmyeon grabbed his fork alongside the rest but paused to look back at Kai who was staring at the cake unsure of what to try first. 

“Well, what university do you go to?”  
“Hyung-“  
“Shush, I can-“ 

“Guess,” Kai gave them a playful wink stabbing his fork into the red-velvet cake and bit into the desert. Sehun paused from his pleads and burned holes at Kai who nudged his shoulder. “It’s more fun that way, Sunshine.” 

“You have nicknames for each other? That’s sweet.” Lay injected eating a white cake presumedly vanilla. 

“Sickly sweet,” Sehun mumbled still trying to hold eye-contact with Kai so he can telepathically tell him to stop digging a hole for themselves. 

“Seoul National University?”  
“Nope. You got one more chance.”  
“The Kim Laboratory?” 

Kai’s smile widened, giving Suho a thumbs up as he scooped some frosting. “We have a winner.” 

Suho nodded his head but his eyebrows were furrowed in concentration while trying the lavender flavoured cake, he grabs the pen beside him and dots down something in the paper Lay was reading previously before looking up at Kai confused. “And you’re the top student?” 

“Kim Kai, one and only.” 

Sehun felt his stomach stir, this wasn’t going to end well even with Kai’s effortless performance he just had a gut feeling. Or was it the lemon cake he tested that didn’t settle well for his digestive system. 

“Well, that’s odd. I was requested to meet the students in the anatomy section to show how dissection difference between human’s and animals but never was your name written on the list nor called out during my 4 day period there.” 

Sehun definitely decides that it was not the lemon cake at that very moment because Kai looked slightly out of his comfort zone and Sehun has already crossed the line, took a left and a U-turn out of his comfort zone because his brother was analysing Kai’s behaviour and even Lay seemed interested by the statement. 

“Oh yeah? During what time did you come to visit th-“  
“EARBANGING!” 

Everything froze. Everyone froze. Nobody knew what to say, including Sehun. All of the customers and workers have paused from their activities to stare at a crimson-faced Sehun who wanted to cover himself from the overly exposure of how lame he actually was to multiple of random strangers that were currently judging him and his family incredibly hard. 

Sehun gave a meekly smile to everyone but his smile dropped once he faced Suho’s livid expression. The groom looked beyond pissed if Suho was an angry fish he would be puffer fish. Suho’s knuckles were pale white as they gripped on the metal fork a little too hard. His eyes were burning with desire (to kill Sehun right then and there, presumedly unbothered by the fact that there are witnesses or maybe they will be accomplices and sell Sehun’s organ’s to the black market.)

Sehun should have known to not mess around with someone that had a wedding to prepare. Especially if that someone happened to be a perfectionist named Oh Junmyeon. His older brother has given him this look three times in his life and that’s why Sehun knows he really screwed it up. 

When Sehun had turned 5 and he asked Junmyeon on the way back home why his bum is bigger than all of the other boys in his year. 

The second time was when Sehun was 9 and he asked the priest at church if Junmyeon should be a girl because he is short and doesn’t have body hair, in front of the 120 people at the Sunday church gathering. 

The third time was when Sehun had matured to the age of 12 and Junmyeon brought over his girlfriend over for dinner. Junmyeon’s girlfriend had politely declined the mini-burgers once offered to say something along the lines of she had enough on her plate, but their mother insisted and Sehun thought he should help in such situation stating ’She doesn’t like small things mummy, she likes things big and thick. Especially if it’s from her daddy. I heard her talk to hyung about it in his room.’ 

And this was definitely going on the list, he was sure. 

“Oh. Sehun.” Junmyeon hissed out. “What did you just say?” 

“W-What came first the chicken or the egg?” Sehun replied timidly, wanting to distract the conversation and in hope of some miracle to happen because he was sure that a panic attack was going to happen since his breath was shorting. 

“The chicken,” Lay answered casually munching on some more red-velvet cake unbothered. 

“Sehun what the fuck? Are you trying to sabotage me or something?” Junmyeon snapped leaning over inches away from his brother’s face. 

“G-General Kitty McMittens doesn’t exist! He doesn’t exist! Even I don’t know what neuroscience is, it sounded fancy because I heard it once from Chanyeol’s friend! I googled it like 10 minutes ago because Kai h-he isn’t re-“ 

“I can’t b-breathe! Sehun!” Kai gasped gripping onto Sehun’s thigh while the other hand was wrapped around his neck. 

“Kai oh my god, you’re dying!” Sehun shrieked shaking Kai who was having a coughing fit with a red face as he pushed his chair back trying to breathe. Sehun turned to face an equally worried Suho and Lay who stood up abruptly. “He’s dying! Do something!” 

“Is he allergic to something?” Lay asked hurriedly.  
“How would I know?!” 

“He’s your boyfriend of 4 months, not mine!” Suho scolded, grabbing the bottle of water from the waiter who rushed to the scene quickly. 

Kai grabbed the water and began swallowing gulps of the liquid unbothered by the small dribble down his chin, it’s not like he had choice to stop because Sehun kept on shoving the bottle back urging him to continue. 

“Sehun! Stop, you’re going to make him drown!”  
“He can’t die! I can’t be a murder, oh god. I can’t survive prison, does it look like I can fight? I can’t fight my way out of my own duvet let alone macho men!” 

“A-Air.” Kai croaked holding onto Sehun’s forearm gently, still coughing harshly.  
“What? There is plenty of air here? Do you mean hospital?” Sehun explained worriedly. 

Kai opened his mouth to retort but instead, he glared at Sehun weakly and nodded. “Okay, okay! The closest hospital is like 30 minutes.” 

“What? You can’t be serious Sehun? I’ll call the ambulance.” Lay already pulled out his phone only for it to land on the floor with a soft thud from Kai’s throw. 

“No, I-I can last,” Kai stated hastily still coughing harshly as he began to move towards the exit while tugging Sehun.  
“Sehun hold him, I swear to god as useless as a block of wood!” Suho threw his hands in the air. 

Sehun was holding onto Kai’s hand for dear life as he ran outside of the Bakery and through the streets trying to get to the hospital or a near-by clinic as quick as humanly possible. Kai kept on tugging and talking but Sehun wasn’t listening, he can’t believe he forced Kai into such an awful situation and almost got him killed for being careless. He should have asked if the boy had any allergies even if they were fake dating, God was he stupid. A sharp tug pulled him out of his dark downwards spiral of self-blame. 

“Hey! Are you even listening to me? I said couldn’t you of picked something more subtle like I don’t know, hobbies?” Kai mocked, his face looking as bright as the sun with a small smile on his lips. 

Sehun, on the other hand, looked a mess. His pouty lips were even plumper due to his excessive lip-biting out of nerves, his lashes were clumped together since he had been crying and his cheeks were a light shade of rose. “You..not..d-dead?” 

Kai was alarmed, he didn’t know how to comfort people. He didn’t realise his stunt has caused such a reaction out of Sehun. He needed to get out of there before their secret was exposed or his money will be off the table. So naturally he coughed and acted as his life depended on it, and he wasn’t a terrible actor either. He would always act his way out of most things, that’s how he worked anyway. By pretending. 

“Are you crying? Why are you crying?” Kai asked stupidly, taking a step forward but Sehun took two steps back quickly turning away as he tried to scrub his face dry with his sleeve harshly unbothered if he was being too rough on his skin. “Hey, hey stop! You’ll hurt yourself.” 

Sehun pushed Kai away but Kai grabbed him tightly. “Leave me alone. God, I’m such a bad boyfriend!” 

Sehun expected to hear some sort of agreement but instead, laughter was released making him look up to see Kai tilting his head to the side with a boyish smile, and suddenly Kai didn’t look so fierce anymore. “You’re so cute.” 

“I really thought you were going to die..” Sehun mumbled quietly as he kept on rubbing his fingers against each other.  
“Sorry, I got carried away since you looked like you were dying inside there yourself. We had to leave before you blurred everything out, especially about that stupid fake cat.” 

“Cats are not stupid if anything they are classified as one of the most cutest animals ever,” Sehun stated defensively.  
“Says who?”  
“Me.” 

Kai’s laughter was echoing into Sehun’s and slowly entering his system and he couldn’t help but let out a small, but genuine smile. 

“There we go! Finally a beautiful smile for a beautiful person.” Kai gestured towards himself and that resulted in getting punched on his shoulder lightly by a scowling Sehun. “Joking! Anyway, you have me for the rest of the day so what do you wanna do Pumpkin?” 

Sehun’s shoulders slumped. This wasn’t real, he needed to remember it might have been nice to have someone so different from you to help bring out the small parts that you didn’t know that existed even if that meant as friends not necessarily a lover. But this wasn’t even a friendship, just business partners. Kai was compromising because of the money or he wouldn’t even be here right now. 

And suddenly Sehun felt very exhausted. Today just drained him out not just physically but mentally. 

“I’m just going to stay at home, I don’t feel well anymore. I’m sorry I dragged you out of bed.” 

Kai was taken back by the reaction, and he might not admit it but he was a little disappointed. Sure this wasn’t exactly what he would be doing at such an hour in the early afternoon but that didn’t mean he exactly hated the activity or Sehun. Because Sehun was very amusing to watch, and if he went back to his own place he would have wasted the day and he isn’t one who enjoys wasting time. 

“Good thing I know what will make you feel better then.” Kai wrapped his fingers round Sehun’s bony wrist and started to lead the way. 

☾~~~~~☽

Baekhyun’s lecture finished a few minutes ago and now he was waiting outside of Chanyeol’s classroom waiting for him to exit. He was craving food, spicy fried chicken to be precise. Maybe he will go buy some rice-cakes for Kyungsoo since the younger enjoyed them greatly, and Sehun like fried chicken so he will get the food with Chanyeol as takeout. 

While contemplating on his food-crisis a familiar face was walking towards him and that’s when Baekhyun turned around, beginning to speed walk but the stranger out ran him and jumped in front of Baekhyun with his arms sticking out by his side as his legs were spread open, uncannily looking like a star-fish. 

But to Baekhyun, he looked like the devil dressed in a vary lavish green flannel. 

“Baek hear me out.” 

“First of all you are not allowed to call me that, and second of all if you don’t move out of my face in the next 5 seconds I’m going to punch you in your balls. Kim Jongdae you better move.” Baekhyun growled in aggravation, his hands balled up into fists. 

The sound of busy students began filing the semi-filled hallway, but to the pair, it was background noise to this intense stare down. 

“I just want to talk, please Baekhyun-ah.” Jongdae pleaded lowering his arms as they hang limply on his sides. 

“Move, jackass!”

Baekhyun’s obnoxiously loud voice attracted multiple of spectators, among them Chanyeol who was watching cautiously if he needed to interfere at any given time. Jongdae shook his head stubbornly, about to speak only to let out a shrilling shriek as he crumbles on the floor and slowly curls into a foetus position with incoherent words slipping out of his mouth. 

Baekhyun glares at the mess on the floor with intense hatred, he re-adjusts his bag strap and huffs incredulously. 

“I told you I will punch you in the dick.” 

And with that final statement, Baekhyun shoves his way out of the circular group of spectators and storms away in rage stomping. Chanyeol grabs his bag from the floor and rushes behind his friend and roommate not sparing Jongdae who was clutching his privates quite pathetically, a second glance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment, I would absolutely love your feedback.


	4. General Kitty McMittens

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment, I would absolutely love your feedback.

“Can you at least tell me where we’re going?”  
“Nope.”  
“I’m tired.”  
“So am I, dumbass.”  
“You don’t know do you?”  
“Not exactly.” 

“Kai.” 

Kai rolled his eyes as Sehun stopped walking and crossed his arms like a small child. “What I meant was I’ve seen the shop somewhere, but it was late at night and I was in a rush so I won’t be late for work.” 

“Somewhere isn’t exactly a clear route, it could be anywhere and I just wanna go back to bed and wallow in self-pity like I do every Friday.” Sehun sighed. 

“Aren’t you depressing?” Kai mocked. 

“It’s not my fault.” 

Kai would’ve cracked another joke but the tone in Sehun’s voice and the way his shoulders slumped slightly by the statement definitely meant something deeper than this casual conversation. So instead he grabbed Sehun’s sleeve and began tugging him around the corner to continue on the search of the hidden shop. Kai was suffocating in this tension-filled silence so he opted for a change in direction of the topic. 

“Sweet-cheeks, we should name this.” 

Sehun felt almost immediate heat radiate off his ears, knowing fully well they were glowing like a ruby in the middle of an extravagant auction. He wasn’t used to pet-names at all, he doesn’t ever recall being called with sweet words by a partner so this was unexpected and awkward to be called by a fake partner. 

“Name what?” Sehun asked trying to not sound or look flustered as possible, while he thinks of something disgusting to stop his face from glowing red but Kai quickly interrupted his train of thought of horrifying fungus infections and his great-grandparents having sex. 

“This, um,” Kai tilted his head to the side, still clutching onto Sehun’s sleeve as he swings their arms together lightly, Sehun stares at their close approximately; that he hasn’t done with anyone for a while. “Operation. Like in all of the James Bond movies, y’ know? Operation; ‘Capture the Thief of the Stolen Ring.’ That kind of thing.” 

Sehun nodded his head in understanding, quickly averting his eyes to the shops they were passing by so he doesn’t have to think of how nice it actually was to be held, even if it was his sleeve and not his skin per se. “I’m not. good at things like that.” 

“You can’t be that bad, it’s like super easy. The weirder the better.” Kai shrugged casually. 

“I mean, I’m not the brightest tool in the shed.” Sehun uncomfortably explained. “I’m just not very creative, so I don’t like to disappoint people.” 

Kai actually snorted and turned to face Sehun fully with half a smile as his eyebrows flew upwards in hilarity. “Who said there were any expectations for me to be disappointed? It’s a game.” 

“I understand, but what I mean is I’m not exactly the most thrilling person let alone an imaginative one.” Sehun murmured softly tugging his sleeve free, not wanting to continue this conversation or walk in general. 

“Yeah?” Kai questioned giving him a side glance which Sehun mimicked.  
“Yeah.” 

“I don’t believe someone can be boring, per se. I think there are two types of people; realists and dreamers and I suppose you just have to pick what you are and live with it as best as you can.” 

Suddenly Kai ran across the street so spontaneously that Sehun was left feeling confused, taken back and shockingly gleeful by the hidden compliment. Sehun stood still, while Kai avoided cars skilfully and once he landed on the other side of the road without a scratch on his body he stuck out his arm to wave at Sehun with a boyish grin on his sharp features. “I found the place! Come on!” 

Sehun blinked then nodded slowly, crossing the street - after looking both ways, he was an adult - and rushed to Kai. He leapt onto the pavement in fright after a zooming car beeped at him continuously and quite rudely. As a result, Sehun lost his balance like a frightened pigeon who was experiencing almost death as a mighty crowd were walking around it carelessly. Thankfully Sehun grabbed Kai’s shirt in the last second and they both stumbled backwards but neither fell. 

Sehun immediately let go of Kai feeling his cheeks redder by the close contact. Trying to brush off the topic - because even though he only knew Kai for a few days he can clearly distinguish the mischievous look in his eye when he wanted to cause trouble - Sehun asked where the place was. 

“I knew it was in this street, god I’m legit amazing.” Kai shook his head with a smirk, tugging Sehun by the sleeve into the store in front of them so quickly that Sehun didn’t realise what the place was until he was standing in the middle of what he would call organised chaos. 

All sorts of animals were everywhere throughout the store, and to Sehun it included children who were running in excitement from one side to another wondering what pet to choose. The place wasn’t packed essentially to the point of being unable to move freely, but it was quite busy. 

“Since you almost fucked up with me having a cat,” Kai ignored the daggers sent from both the disapproving mother that was walking by and Sehun’s narrowed eyes. “I thought we could get an actual cat, for proof and maybe to stop you from crying..” 

“I wasn’t crying..” Sehun scrunched up his nose in annoyance but nevertheless, he began his search for a cat secretly feeling a thrilling sensation slowly taking over his nerve-system. 

Time was flying by as both males were occupied with the animals for the search of the perfect General Kitty McMittens. Truthfully Kai didn’t dislike animals, he just wasn’t their biggest fan. He simply doesn’t see what’s so cool about owning an animal that you are forced to waste your money on its health care when you could use the money to treat yourself instead of treating the animal. So he stayed near the large kitten playpen, poking his finger through the cage bars mostly out of boredom but he was smiling slightly as a baby kitten kept on biting his finger softly. 

“Sir, I don’t think it’s a good idea to adopt this cat.” 

“Kai look!” Sehun shoved something very orange and furry in front of the other, who did not appreciate the fur getting shoved into his mouth so suddenly. 

“What the fuck is that?” 

Facing Kai was the world’s ugliest cat. His red coat was rich ginger with faint strips of jet-black that had several scars around his chubby cheeks. Half of one ear was missing and it looked like it has been bitten off harshly, it’s tiled-round-leaf shaped eyes on its square face were the colour of a mouldy green, and it had a mashed nose. And it hissed in Kai’s face showing it’s sharp canines. 

“Sir, this cat is very vicious and it was supposed to be sent off to go to sleep due it’s aggression this afternoon..” The worker, whom Kai presumes has chased Sehun throughout the store trying to stop him from getting the cat. 

“He doesn’t look mean at all.” 

Kai and the worker exchanged looks before the clerk continues on talking. “It has history. Once he has bitten off another cat’s ear off when he was forced to simply share food. That cat had to do surgery.”

“Vicious or gentle, that is not the cat.” Kai scoffed, unbothered by Sehun’s pout. 

“Yes it is, look at him.”  
“I’m looking at him alright, and he is not the one.”  
“But I already told Junmyeon that you own a cat..”  
“Yeah? and it isn’t this thing.” 

“Sir maybe you would prefer one of the kittens?” The worker offered desperately pointing to the kitten Kai was playing with either. 

“I told Junmyeon you own a cat, not a kitten.” Sehun pressed on, re-adjusting his hold on the fat cat. 

“He isn’t going to focus on small details.” Kai gritted his teeth, eyeing the ginger animal with disgust. 

“He will because he is a vet and he will most definitely remember that I said cat and not a kitten.”  
“Then we get another bloody cat, not this monster.” 

Somehow they ended up with a cat-carrier that had the ugly, ginger cat now owned and named General Kitty McMittens. Kai hated the cat and he regrets the fact that he brought Sehun to the store, he didn’t know what came over him to even try and help Sehun feel better. Kai glares at the other male who was currently cooing at the cat, and he snorted in disbelief. It was definitely for the money, he thought. 

“That thing isn’t staying with me.” Kai announced, swinging the plastic bag filled with the animal’s food and supplies inside carelessly. 

Sehun halted his walk and stared at Kai wide-eyed like he caught his parents making love. “What?” 

“I don’t have space in my place, Cupcake.” Kai explained slowly in a mocking manner.  
“But I-“  
“But, but, I don’t care.” Kai ridiculed with a scornful scowl. “You brought that disgusting thing with your own money, and you are keeping it because I don’t have space in my place to take care of it.” 

“I’m not allowed pets in my apartment complex.”  
“I call bullshit.” 

Upon arriving in front of Sehun’s apartment complex there was quite a large white and red sign that clearly stated no pets allowed. Sehun pointed at the said sign, outside of the building and Kai simply rolled his eyes muttering something along the lines of ‘press the fucking code in or I’m going to call this whole thing off’. 

“So you live on the top floor?” Kai in queried glancing at the buttons on the side of the elevator they entered.  
“The top floor is 12, I live on the 4th.”  
“Basically the top floor.”  
“Not really, because the top floor is the highest point of the building-“  
“Okay, got it.” 

They stand side-by-side in the elevator waiting for the ding to escape the small space. Sehun glances at the ginger cat now named, General Kitten McMittens and was he glad. He saw the cat in the back where almost nobody was around apart from a few, the ginger cat was seated in the corner of its cubicle glaring at every passer-by. Sehun was curious to as why the cat was so mean to people around it, maybe it came from a bad home by the looks of its faint scars and bitten ear. He knew the ginger cat was lonely he could tell because he went through that phase himself of trying to act tough but it didn’t work out in the long run because he would constantly be tired of his pretend games around others. He didn’t know what came over him when he cooed at the ginger cat, ignoring the other delicate felines surrounding the store and surprisingly the cat didn’t hiss. Instead, General Kitten McMittens stared at Sehun then back at his hand and slowly got on it’s four stubby feet and sniffed Sehun’s hand as an act of greeting. And Sehun knew he found a keeper. 

A ding indicated the arrival of the wanted floor, both males watching the metal doors slide open to reveal a long hallway carpeted in ivory. Sehun led the way while fishing out his keys. He wasn’t sure why he didn’t say goodbye to Kai earlier and let him take the rest of the day off since he only needed the rose-headed man for the meeting. Maybe he wanted to prove to Kai that his apartment did truly ban animals. 

Sehun knew that his three roommates had classes today, so the place was empty once he unlocked the door watching Kai brush past him and take his shoes off carelessly, tossing the plastic bag on the coffee table unbothered. Sehun shook his head, carefully placing his and Kai’s sneakers in their designed place before shuffling inside his home with the feline still in its cage. 

“Since the guys are out, we need to hide General Kitten McMittens.” Sehun stated on the desperate side since he is unsure of how to execute such a plan. 

He knew if they got caught with a pet in the apartment complex they could have an immediate strike, and they would be evicted. They already had 2 courtesy of; Byun Baekhyun throwing his mattress out of the balcony out of rage due to getting his allowance cut off by his parents, and Kyungsoo throwing a Halloween party that got out of hand, when some drunks made a hole through the wall to show who the real Thor was between the pair. (But Chanyeol and Sehun had quickly fixed both problems by fetching the mattress back from the bushes it fell into since Baekhyun realised he had no money for a new one, and by putting a cheap 12 dollar painting to cover up the hole.) And the landlord was not happy with the damage, even though it has been fixed.

“Why?” Kai let out an exaggerated sigh, pulling his hood over his face as he threw himself on the couch.  
“Because you need to help your fake boyfriend.” Sehun tried to sound stern but his flushed cheeks said otherwise. 

“Lead the way to the bedroom, Sugar.” 

Sehun quickly whizzed through the apartment to his room, with Kai hot on his heels. As soon as the door opens, Sehun realises that his bedroom is very chaotic. And he feels a sudden wave of embarrassment to show to Kai - practically a stranger - his private chambers where he goes to wallow in self-pity, to cry over some K-Dramas, read comics and collect action figurines. It was childish, he knew that but he couldn’t help it. The posters, animation DVD’s, figurines and stacked comics and books were something that made him feel comfortable, made him feel safe. 

Sehun waited for the insult but it never came, instead, Kai quickly rushed towards one of Sehun’s beloved figurines that sat on top of the bookshelf as a display. Kai’s hand was hovering around the plastic toy, only to pause and look at Sehun with a gaped mouth. “Can I touch it?” 

Taken back, Sehun nodded his head and shrugged at the same time gesturing towards the said toy giving his permission while he placed General Kitten McMitten on his bed. Sehun unlocked the cage watching the ginger feline immediately shove it’s smashed nose against Sehun’s face. Feeling warm fuzz spread through his chest, Sehun bumped his nose against General Kitten McMitten’s face earning a meow when he was about to return with his own only to remember he wasn’t alone. 

Sehun quickly straighten up and glanced behind him. Kai was still fiddling with the action toy so engrossed as if he never saw a figurine up-close. But what fascinated Sehun wasn’t that, but the way Kai looked so young then and there, the soft touches and faint ghostly smile on his lips and the tilted head as if he wanted to memorise each part and detail. 

Snapping both boys out of their trance was General Kitten McMitten’s sudden cry for attention. Kai swiftly placed the figurine back in its place and turned around only to catch a glimpse of Sehun’s side profile before the latter turned around just as quick to avoid being mocked at for staring. 

“So what exactly are we going to do about, Ugly?” 

Sehun’s gasp startled Kai to the point that the rosy-head had to check behind him to make sure that the incredulous gasp was aimed at him and not another person. Kai watched Sehun cover General Kitten McMitten’s one ear looking at Kai, appalled.

“Don’t call him that, he has a name Kai.”  
“Yeah, and it’s too long and weird for me to be bothered to remember it.”  
“You wouldn’t like if people called you hurtful names.” 

“Happens all the time,” Kai shrugged walking towards the bed where the cat was comfortably rubbing his head on Sehun’s hand. “I actually sometimes forget what my real name is.” 

Sehun was muted by the confession unsure if it was true or just mockery. But with Kai, he finds it difficult to distinguish between the truth and falsity. Especially since they are still in the early stages of forming some sort of mutual something, which he isn’t sure what yet. 

“Just call him by his name, General Kitten McMitten.” Sehun explained while sitting on the bed watching Kai’s fingers brush against the fat feline only to get bite by.

“Motherfucker!” Kai hissed holding onto his index finger with evident pain, and annoyance which only increased as the cat brushes itself against Sehun’s body. 

Stifling a laugh, Sehun rubs the cat good-naturedly watching Kai let out a string of foul words as he glares at the cat further. “Don’t call him that.” 

“Are you actually being serious? I’m your boyfriend.” Kai huffed, side-eyeing both of them with a slight pout and narrowed eyes. 

Sehun froze, the way the word rolled out of Kai’s tongue sounded so sincere that he needed to remind himself that he paid Kai for such a service. He was the one that paid Kai to pretend to be his loved up boyfriend. And he was the one who made up Kai’s character to show to the public for the remainder of 2 weeks. 

“Did you see that! He was literally mocking me with his eyes!” Kai accused the cat who was now climbing onto Sehun’s lap, but as soon as the finger was pointed it tried to bite it but Kai was quick enough to retreat. “Bitch..” 

☾~~~~~☽

“Remind me why I’m meeting you, when I should be heading to my class,” Kyungsoo glances at his watch. “In the next 15 minutes.” 

Jongdae pouted grabbing both their drinks on the counter of the coffee-shop, handing one to Kyungsoo. “Because I am giving you free food.” 

“Yeah, well hurry up.” Kyungsoo rolled his eyes but nevertheless was sipping from his ice-coffee deliciously.  
“Did you hear about what happened?” 

“Baekhyun punching you in the dick? Yeah, news travels fast especially when you have Baekhyun complaining quite theatrically while eating mashed potatoes trying to not cry.” 

Jongdae groaned tilting his head back. “I wanted to talk to him, Soo. But he doesn’t even want to be in the same room as me, let alone speak.” 

Kyungsoo rather obnoxiously continued on sipping his iced-coffee while exiting the coffee shop with Jongdae. “You deserve it, who told you to fucking dump him-“

“I needed time to think!” Jongdae shrieked.  
“You could have asked for space, not just out of the blue telling him to break up,” Kyungsoo replied calmly. 

“It was not out of the blue.” Jongdae defended biting his straw trying to not explode. 

“It was,” Kyungsoo confirmed readjusting his backpack. “You told him to break-up the night of your anniversary, and when he asked for a reason you didn’t reply instead you left.” 

“Kyungsoo you need to under-“

“And once you left him, you didn’t speak to him for almost 3 months now,” Kyungsoo opened his plastic lid, letting a few ice-cubes slides into his mouth to munch. “We have to deal with his moody ass, it’s becoming insufferable but we tolerate this bitchy Baekhyun because he is our friend.” 

“I’m your friend too! I didn’t mean to hurt him, Baekhyun is sometimes just extra.” Jongdae threw his arms in the air dramatically, as Kyungsoo mentally shook his head. Both exes were more alike than they thought and he sometimes wonders what in the world did he do in his past life to deserve to be late for his class in order to be a therapist to his best friend's ex-lover.

“It’s your fault and you need to fix it.” 

“I don’t know how! He won’t speak to me, he won’t look at me and he sure as hell won’t accept me again.” Jongdae’s shoulder’s slumped in defeat as his sips his own cool beverage looking pitiful. 

“You need to go back to step one,” Kyungsoo stopped walking to throw his empty cup in the trash bin, locking eyes with Jongdae. “Try to woo him like it was the first time you saw him.”

“Maybe he doesn’t want to be wooed..” 

“Maybe, but trying doesn’t hurt,” Kyungsoo slapped Jongdae’s cheek lightly a few times. “I have class, don’t do something Chanyeol would do.” 

☾~~~~~☽

After both Sehun and Kai made somewhat of a den for General Kitten McMitten by stacking comics and stuffing the inside of the kind of hidden bed with a cushion from the living room their job was complete. The cat food and other essentials were hidden under his bed, and currently, they had left General Kitten McMitten to nap.

When they come out Sehun asks if Kai wants something to eat suddenly feeling awkward again Kai says just a bottle of water. Sehun kept taking sneaky glances at Kai, still feeling that all of this is still a dream. He suddenly remembers Luhan, his ex boyfriend, and wonders about their happy memories. 

Not many of them were exactly fond to remember but sometimes the brain just doesn’t ignore such intense situations that have happened throughout his life - like the time a girl stole Sehun’s rice cake in kindergarten because he didn’t give her a hug. He was still bitter about that. The things that Sehun associates Luhan with here a few if they had to be tangible; kisses, slaps and sweaters. 

One might call it random, but he just couldn't forgets things like that because they have been engraved in his mind since he studied Luhan with such adoration and love. And maybe that’s why he stuck around Luhan for so long, because love is the one who chooses who you give your heart to, and maybe love saw Luhan as seraphic innocence but he wasn’t; not in the slightest. 

Snapping him out of his trace was Kai who threw a pillow at Sehun’s face making the coal-haired boy lose his upper balance and lay sidewards on the couch defenceless.

“Just take a picture of me, it will last longer.” Kai rolled his eyes wrapping his arms around a star-shaped cushion. 

“How can someone like you, look so mean but you’re actually not?” Sehun blurred out still in mid-daze watching Kai slowly confused expression shifts to annoyance and then anger very quickly because he was staring at Sehun with thundering hickory eyes that were screaming murder. And Sehun hasn’t been off the trail, because another cushion hit him as Kai stands up. 

“Where is the bathroom?” 

“The green door in the corridor.” Sehun answered quietly after realising his mistake and peered at Kai who paused from his walk towards the restroom and turned to show his bronze complexion with his lips curled upwards into a cocky smirk. 

“You better not be looking at my glorious ass,” And once he said that, Sehun eyes wondered to the fake lover’s said region in surprise at how firm and perky it looks inside the tight black jeans. A click of the fingers pulls him out of his ogling and back to Kai’s shit-eating grin. “You lost that privilege for being nosy.” 

“My butt is better than his anyway,” Sehun mutters glaring at the rose-head in sudden agitation for the accusation, but the corners of his frown slipped into slightly parted lips watching Kai’s behind as he disappears into the hallway. “Goodness, he does have a good ass.” 

Sinking further into the couch, Sehun started to flicker through the television without much interest as his thoughts drift to the time he had a relationship with Luhan. Because to him, it was strange that he only had one true love and that didn’t work out, so his only option - a pathetic one - was to hire somebody to be his boyfriend because he was so unsuccessful in gaining a love interest. Maybe Luhan was right, he never takes risks. Thinking back on it, the only risk he took was Luhan. And how fucked did that leave him now. 

“Baby it’s one party, live a little.” Luhan whined as he fixed the tips of his blond hair, which was not allowed in school but the elder didn’t care. 

Sehun had come over with a DVD to watch and a bag full of carbohydrates to demolish, and once he entered his boyfriend’s room and saw Luhan dressed up - Sehun knew their plans were history. Because Luhan preferred to socialise with people whenever there was a chance, and since Sehun wasn’t much of a talker and preferred to drink his Earl Grey tea while reading in his free time they were total opposites. Sehun thought it was meant to be because he always assumed that the sayings ‘Opposites attract’ was true, and he usually accepted whatever Luhan wished and was always at his beck and call. 

“I don’t want to go,” Sehun bites his lip, knowing fully well where this conversation would end. “I don’t want you to go either…”  
“Babe,” Luhan looked away from the full-length mirror to face his boyfriend. “Babe, I want you to come with me it will be fun. Getting drunk, hitting a few blunts if we are lucky.” 

“Lu..” Sehun sighed as he flopped on his boyfriend’s bed. “We haven’t properly hung out in weeks, and today I’m free and so are you. Don’t..don't you think it’s, I don’t know, selfish to go to a party instead of spending time together?” 

Luhan scoffs grabbing his phone from the floor, where it was charging. “How the fuck is it selfish of me to want to have fun, huh? You are so clingy Sehun. I’m not selfish, because if I was, I would have left for the party already and I would have ignored your texts till tomorrow morning.” 

“You ignore my texts anyway..”Sehun muttered with a roll of eyes. 

“Anyway! I asked you to come with me, isn’t that selfless? Literally, you can come and have fun with me, your boyfriend, at this big-ass party instead of sitting at home like some 13-year old hormonal girl sobbing over some shitty movie.” Luhan continued his rant, not even bothering to hold eye-contact with Sehun instead he was fully focused on his phone screen with his rapid typing. 

“I thought you liked watching movies with me, you could have always told me if you didn’t and we can do something else.” Sehun suggested rather desperately.

“Your ideas are always crap, babe. Like super vanilla and what’s the word…” Luhan paused from texting and looked at Sehun for a few seconds squinting his eyes then clicked his fingers suddenly. “Mundane.” 

“So you’re going?” Sehun said defeated knowing that this was always the outcome whenever they tried to discuss about how Luhan was always out with his mature and older friends. 

“Yes,” Luhan rolled his eyes letting out a sigh. “Listen, I want you to come. So I can show off, like, look at my boyfriend isn’t he hot?” 

Sehun let out a small smile but it disappeared at the realisation of the comment. “I don’t feel comfortable being around strangers..” 

“What are you 5?” 

Sehun feels a heavyweight sink to his left, and there was Kai in all his glorified dark clothes that contrast his bright hair and rich copper skin tone, what made Sehun stand up scandalised was that Kai had a white stick between his teeth, fishing for what he could only presume a lighter. 

“What’s up with you?” Kai talked with the cigarette settled firmly between his teeth as he quirked an eyebrow still searching. 

“You can’t smoke here! Kyungsoo will skin me alive and wear my skin like that mean guy who liked to kill animals to display them in his wall in his lonely home because he lived there for most of his life and he probably has gone crazy because he doesn’t have people to talk to in that movie, Jumanji. And I don’t want to be a coat..” Sehun rambled as Kai’s bite loosened letting the unlit cigarette flop slightly. 

“Wow you don’t sound like a mental person who escaped prison though digging a hole with a spork.” 

Sehun puffed out his cheeks, looking at Kai with determined eyes but he had to avert his attention elsewhere because the bronze boy’s eyes were very intimidating. “Also. I would never date someone who smokes, actually, it’s surprising the- Why!” 

Kai gave him a shrug, already blowing smoke at Sehun’s direction leisurely, tapping the ashes inside of his empty water bottle. Kai’s expressionless face, cracked into a sly smirk. “In a relationship, we should accept each other's flaws.” 

Sehun was astounded by how shameless Kai was being, but he had to admit that Kai was sweet-tongued. “That was not nice, I’m going to get yelled at because Kyungsoo despises the smell of smoke…I’ll be on cleaning duty for the next eternity so I realise the importance of unpolluted air.” 

Kai stuck his tongue out boyishly. “I can’t calm down unless I have a cig,” Sehun shot him a look of disapproval. “I’ll make it quick.” 

Sehun agrees because he thinks he is a tolerable and patient person, but truthfully he didn’t have any choice because he knew Kai would have smoked anyway with or without his consent. So he settled back to his seat glancing at the ridiculous mustard clock on top of the front door and he quickly switched channels. His favourite soap opera had started 15 minutes ago, and he must have forgotten about it due to his latest circumstances. 

Before Sehun could indulge properly into the program with usually a snack and a change of clothes he glanced at Kai who was tapping the small remainder of his cancer stick into his water-bottle. He wasn’t sure why he hadn’t kicked him out yet, maybe this was some sort of thank you for trying to stop him from breaking down in front of the public eye. But he paid him, so maybe that’s why Kai didn’t question Sehun’s commands anymore. Sehun shook his head, not wanting to get another headache because he had an extremely eventful day. 

And 30 minutes flew by as Sehun was on the edge of his seat chin rested on his palm, his sole focus was the thrilling chain of events that was happening, unlike Kai who kept on making an unhelpful commentary in the background about the characters and their reactions. Sehun tried to be considerate by answering the most logical questions, which was 2. 

‘Where does a 13-year-old even get a gun from?’  
‘His dad’s safe, behind the family picture.’ 

’She has fucking balls for fucking her best friend's dad, right?’  
’I suppose..but she did it out of revenge.’

And now there elderly ladies of the soap opera were sitting in a coffee shop all having their ice-americanos as they gossip about their men. One lady in the fur-coat named, Janey, kept on complaining about how her boyfriend wasn’t good in bed and she has to coax him into it and she is so done and bored with his antics. 

“I want a man who will have fun with me, him being adventurous and I’ll be the cute one. He isn’t even that big.” 

All the women burst into fits of giggles by the vile comment, as another injects about her husband.  
“I saw him once looking at this girl in my office when he was visiting me, so I fucked her boyfriend. God, men are like dogs.” 

Sehun frowned, if men were dogs then women are sadistic witches. His mouth twitches thinking back to Luhan, his first love, and wonders if Luhan had sessions like this with his friends talking bad about Sehun. No, he couldn’t, Luhan dated him for a reason Sehun thought. 

As the credits roll, Sehun stares at the column of names running upwards quickly. He should make lunch since it’s his turn today and usually he would order but he doesn’t want to be boring he wants to be spontaneous. Just the thought of his roommate coming from university to him cooking food just got him giddy. Then he remembers that he needs to make Kai leave before they come back home because that will be a recipe for disaster. 

“Kai, I don’t need you for another-“Sehun paused staring at the sprawled body beside him. “Oh.” 

Kai’s head was resting on his shoulder limply, with his arms crossed over his chest and his legs were spread wide open. Sehun has never seen a more innocent looking Kai in his life, but he hasn’t seen much of Kai in his life to actually have the audacity to judge his most innocent moments. 

Sehun saw this as an opportunity for some revenge about having the cat stay in his room, whisking out his phone he started to snap pictures of the sleeping chap. After the quick photo session that lasted less than 2 minutes, he straightened back up and stood up his hand hovering over Kai’s shoulder. He felt guilty for waking him up, he didn’t have the heart to do it. 

“I’ll send him off in 5 minutes.” Sehun spoke out loud making his way to the open kitchen that had a clear view of the living room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment, I would absolutely love your feedback.


	5. Salty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment, I would absolutely love your feedback.

“Whoo!” Sehun clasped his hands together in delight as he stares at the boiling pot filled with all types of available vegetables that were edible and laying around the kitchen untouched. 

He was rather fond of cooking because it was something he could always excel at even if he wasn’t the best around. His food consisted of actual important nutrients and irons instead of Baekhyun’s lousy excuse of ramyun packets with boiled eggs. Sehun couldn’t compare himself with Kyungsoo unfortunately since the elder was just on a whole another platter of professionalism and talent. 

Wiping his hands on the back of his jeans he glances at the appalling clock on the wall, his smile falters. “Shit..they’ll be here soon. I need to wake him up.” 

Rushing out of the kitchen and into the living room, Sehun awkwardly stills for several seconds unsure of how to wake up the dead-looking Kai on his couch. After what seemed like an eternity of internal conflict and a few chants of encouragement he marched right up to Kai, standing in front of the other’s spread legs. 

Sehun sticks out his arm and prods Kai on the shoulder. “Kai..wake u-” 

“Get the fuck off me!” 

The rose-head snaps his eyes open revealing how bloodshot they seemed to be, and shoved Sehun so violently that the lanky student lost his footing and landed on the coffee table. With a frightened expression, Sehun gripped onto the sides of the table for balance and to somewhat have something to hold onto for comfort - to know he didn’t die just yet. 

They lock eyes, both panting hard. They stayed like that for a solid 10 seconds neither of them moving, instead of analysing the other’s next move and current emotion. But it took no genius to figure out Kai’s; he looked disgusted and dazed scanning Sehun’s frame and then his surroundings, before twisting his lips into something that resembled a scowl, and looked away. 

Kai stood up, giving Sehun almost no minimal space to move. Their current approximately to each other was only a few inches because of their awkward positions, hence the fact that Sehun was currently face-to-chest; stunned by the chain of events. 

He realised that somehow he must of not only upset Kai but disgusted him because that was the only valid reason he could think of for the coral-head to react so harshly. Sehun bit his inner cheek - he should have just called his name until he answered, or put an alarm next to Kai’s head until he woke up.

While Sehun sat on the coffee table mentally beating himself up for being so idiotic and not thinking more rationally, Kai shuffled sideways until he was no longer standing between the couch and the coffee table with Sehun on top. 

Shoving his hands into his pockets, Kai murmured something inaudible. 

Too zoned out by the incident, Sehun blinks and focus on Kai’s stripped socks muttering a ‘what?’ 

Kai couldn’t believe his actions either, but to his defence, he was taken off guard for a number of reasons. He hadn’t had a decent sleep in these past few weeks, so it came as a surprise to him that he had fallen asleep in Sehun’s -a stranger’s- couch, without waking up every 5 minutes from his paranoia. Another thing he still couldn’t figure out was why he was in Sehun’s apartment instead of going to work. Kai should have left the moment they arrived by the front door. Yet he stayed, not that Sehun bothered to kick him out anyway. 

Kai wants to apologise and explain why he behaved so irrationally, but he didn’t. Instead, he does quite the opposite and pretends that it never occurred. Because acting, to him, was so much easier than revealing your true intentions. “I said, do you need help with whatever you were cooking?” 

Sehun blinks once, twice and lifts his head, staring at an aloof-faced Kai. Unsure if he is going to get hit next or this was the closest thing he was going to get to an apology - not that he thinks he actually deserves one. Nodding his head dumbly, Sehun stands up shuffling out of the narrow space between the couch and the coffee-table. Glancing up at Kai pondering wether or not he should nod and smile to lessen the awkward atmosphere. 

At the end of his 0.8-second mental argument Sehun agrees against both gestures, worried he will further agitate Kai, which could lead to fists flying. But still, he wanted to make some sort of action to show that he was fine and there is no need for this suffocating air. Sehun widened his eyes as if it’s some signal for Kai to follow him into the kitchen across the living space, all the while shuffling on the wooden-floor at a snail rate. 

“Do you mind setting the table, please?” Sehun asked with civility in his tone, as Kai shrugs and follows him into the open kitchen area. 

Small whistling caused a zap of panic through Sehun, he runs and almost slips in the process due to the spilt water from earlier, for when he was measuring the amount for the white rice. “Not the soup! Anything but the soup!” 

Kai stands wordlessly watching Sehun run back and forth throughout the small kitchen grabbing various items from the counter, including a blow-torch as the university student tried to revive his seaweed soup from disrepair. 

It takes 3 cups of water, a long squirt of soy-sauce and shredded seaweed that filled the pot to the brim to save the dish. Kai was no cook, but he knew what food-poisoning looked like and currently it had a lot of similar characteristics to Sehun’s dish. 

“Where are the chopsticks?” He asked, watching Sehun rip sheets of seaweed, bite-size.  
“Second drawer.” 

Sehun points towards the said drawer on his left, still focused on the broth. Instead of taking the utensils and leaving the kitchen so he can set up the foldable, wooden table on the other side of the kitchen counter in the living room, Kai fiddles with the metal sticks with his back faced away from Sehun. 

Sehun pauses from placing the shredded seaweed on miniature plates as side dishes, he consciously glances at Kai who hasn’t moved even though he can see the gleam of the chopsticks. 

“Look, I just,” Kai twists the end of the chopstick restlessly. “I know I shouldn’t have pushed you like that…but you took me by surprise. It’s really hard for me to sleep, so I got, y’ know, taken back.” 

Sehun’s mouth curls into a pearly-white smile, which only widened as Kai walks past him heading for the folded table not expecting a reply. After Kai stabilised the table and arranged the mats that have been lain out on the counter earlier, he paused. 

“How many should I put?” Kai waved the chopsticks in the air. 

“Just 4,” Sehun replies softly, still smiling radiately as Kai glowers in annoyance by Sehun’s intense staring. 

“I’m not going to say sorry, if that’s what you’re waiting for,” Kai snarls with narrow eyes, continuing on placing the other side-dishes on the table, as he walks back and forth brushing past Sehun. 

“I’m not.” 

And he wasn’t. Because Kai already apologised, even if he didn’t specifically say ‘sorry’ he expressed his guilt and explained himself. Sehun was okay with that because he could see and feel the sincerity of Kai. 

(—————) 

“Are you even listening?”  
“Yes, it just takes me a while to process so much stupid all at once,” Kyungsoo replied dryly, walking ahead. 

“You are so rude! so, so rude!” Baekhyun hissed in vexation watching his roommate press the code for their apartment complex building. 

“I admit that,” Kyungsoo shrugged.  
“Chanyeol, can you believe this? He is supposed to be on my side! Mine!” Baekhyun turned around staring intimidatingly at the giant trailing behind the pair in exhaustion. 

“What?”  
“Chanyeol!” 

“Yes, I can’t believe that,” Chanyeol shook his head dramatically, a beep from the security door made its appearance and he hurriedly walked behind the duo. “Whatever that is..” 

“Why would you even talk to him? That’s what I don’t understand!”  
“Why do you care if I talk to Jongdae or not?” 

Baekhyun pauses in his step with his mouth slightly gaped open. “Excuse me? You are my friend and he is my EX-BOYFRIEND!” 

Kyungsoo pressed the elevator button and waited his back facing Baekhyun, with Chanyeol slowly approaching him with evident fatigue. The lanky male hadn’t slept in the last 36 hours due to his last-minute-4-am-red bull-induced-self-hatred-fuelled-writing-extravaganza. 

“He is my friend too.” Kyungsoo simply explained entering the elevator, half-dragging Chanyeol and pressed their floor button as Baekhyun marched into the metal box standing beside Chanyeol who was trying very hard to not lean against either man between him. 

“I was your friend first.” That earned Baekhyun a scoff of mockery which only added fuel to his blazing anger. “Chanyeol, was I or was I not Kyungsoo’s friend first?” 

Chanyeol blinked trying to concentrate on the question but mostly on not passing out then and there. “You were.” 

“See? It’s against best-friend code to go talk to their ex-boyfriend, and you shouldn’t be acting like this. You should have spat in his face when he tried to approach you, not have fucking coffee with him!” Baekhyun’s eyes flashed with indignant and anger, much like lighting on a pitch dark night.

The elevator’s metal doors creaked open slowly, and Chanyeol couldn’t be gladder. Because if he had to stay in that tiny contraption for one more second he would have had his brain blown to pieces by how intense Baekhyun and Kyungsoo were glaring daggers at one another, and he was stuck right in the middle. 

“So I’ve upgraded from friend to best-friend now?” Kyungsoo mocked strolling past Baekhyun.  
“You know what I mean.” Baekhyun gritted his teeth storming towards the latter. “Right, Chanyeol?” 

Chanyeol who was advancing towards the door as quick as his sluggish feet would drag him froze in his spot and nodded his head quickly unsure of what has been sprung upon him. “Uh huh, right.” 

“The thing is I don’t Baek, I really don’t,” Kyungsoo began cooly digging through his pockets for the keys of their apartment, walking towards their shared apartment. “I don’t get why it should effect you what I do with my spare time with a friend of mine, whether I knew them before or after meeting you.” 

“It’s a dick move, Soo. And you know it.”  
“What can I say? Once an asshole, always an asshole.” Kyungsoo said, deadpan. 

“Ugh! Kyungsoo, he is the enemy and you are not doing any favours for yourself right now, isn’t that right Chanyeol?” Baekhyun whined throwing his arms in the air theatrically getting closer to their home. 

“Yes, yes,” Chanyeol answered absent-mindedly, thinking of what possible food he could indulge once he arrives inside his apartment because the last thing he remembers eating were soggy left-over pizza because he spilt some of his red bull on his cold slices while trying to finish his school work. 

“You make it sound like I care if I am in your good books or not,” Kyungsoo rolled his eyes and locked eyes with a suddenly alarmed Chanyeol. “And you need to stop babying him because it’s not helping anyone. Especially him.” 

Chanyeol nodded dumbly, finally arriving in front of the apartment door. 

“Can you for once actually behave like a decent human and care for what I am saying to you?” Baekhyun snapped, watching Kyungsoo pause from twisting the key in the keyhole and turned to face him with a pretty smile that was a screaming mockery. 

“I’ll start behaving like one, when you do,” Kyungsoo imitated Baekhyun’s speech pattern, twisting the key and glanced towards a dazed Chanyeol. “Right, Chanyeol?” 

Baekhyun shoved the door open while screaming. “You are impossible! Fucking impos-“ 

Baekhyun stumbles back while holding onto his face with one hand while the other was holding onto Chanyeol’s arm for support. “What the hell?” 

“Ditto.” Kyungsoo nodded his head staring at the scene before him. 

There stood Sehun and his pink-headed boyfriend. Sehun had one arm wrapped around Kai’s shoulders tightly and the other had an air-freshener frozen high in the air mid-action presumedly, with a panic-stricken expression, while Kai was cradling his shoes as if someone had thrown them at him in a haste with a blank look. 

Neither parties spoke first until Kyungsoo noticed the mischievous smile that crept onto Baekhyun’s face and tried to silently give him a warning but everything was already out of the window for the latter. “Kai, well isn’t this a surprise.” 

Kai arched an eyebrow and scanned Baekhyun up and down insolently. “I don-“  
“Kai is leaving, so don’t even bother!” Sehun hastily pushed his fake-lover towards the door forcefully. 

“Did you cook, Hunnie?” Chanyeol barged through the mini siege, taking his shoes off clumsily and rushed towards the set table wanting to devour anything edible. 

“Aw, why? He doesn’t like having lunch with his boyfriend?” Baekhyun fluttered his eyes ever so innocently, his eyes never leaving Kai’s as if to challenge him. 

“No, he..he always eats with me but just not today,” Sehun nudged Kai but the latter suddenly hardened like an unmovable rock, still in a stare-down with Baekhyun. “Kai, I said not today…” 

“Shame really would have loved to know how the hell you guys ended up together! ” Baekhyun gave the pink-head a lazy smile. “Especially since both of you seem like polar opposites because let's be honest, how can Sehun get someone who is way out of hi-“ 

“Baekhyun why don’t you shut up? Too much bullshit is coming out of your mouth this fine afternoon.” Kyungsoo pushed his roommate to the side and threw his bag to the side, strolling inside the apartment. 

Baekhyun rolled his eyes and repositioned himself with a devious smile that is aimed towards the university couple. “Aw come on Kyungie, you can’t tell me you aren’t curious.” 

Kyungsoo was making his way towards the kitchen without turning around. “None of your business, Byun.” 

“It’s just very,” Baekhyun averted his eyes to the side table that contained ‘The Bowl of Mysteries’ - that has everything and anything. “Sudden! yes, very sudden.” 

“Kai needs to go, so Baekhyun if you could move out of the doorway that would be great,” Sehun stated almost pleadingly, trying to push stiff Kai in vain. 

“I would be an absolute delight if you joined us for lunch Kai, after all we are Sehun’s best friends-“ Baekhyun threw a dirty look towards an indifferent Kyungsoo. “because we care who he is dating, especially since he hasn’t been in the game for how long was it, again?” 

Kai can feel Sehun’s figures curl by the comment around his shoulder and looked back at Baekhyun as if he is some math problem he can’t figure out just yet. 

“Baekhyun you need to stop,” Kyungsoo warned holding a cup of water, but his words fell on deaf ears. 

“3 years, I think? If Sehunnie has been with Luhan for 3 years,” Baekhyun pouted pushing his lips out exaggeratedly with a slight tilt of his head. “Aaand if you add another whole year of not dating that makes it what? 4 years in total he hasn’t touched anyone.” 

“Baek-“ 

“Oh I’m sorry, he doesn’t know about Luhan! Clumsy, me.” Baekhyun covered his mouth in foreign shock. 

Kyungsoo was 5 seconds away from drenching Baekhyun with a refreshing cup of water if he had not seen how Kai was laughing so obnoxiously loud that it had taken him and everyone else off guard. Even food-deprived Chanyeol paused from stuffing his mouth with pickles. 

Kai drops his shoes on the floor with a soft thump and skilfully manoeuvres himself to give everyone his back, his mouth inches away from Sehun’s ear. One hand was pulling Sehun closer by his elbow while the other rested naturally on his hip. Sehun naturally went rigid due to this spontaneous behaviour, and he thinks he is suddenly suffocating as a fish getting dipped in and out of the water by a fisher. He tries to relax his form so he doesn’t expose himself, in front of his three best friends because he can’t handle some minimal physical contact. 

“I got some time to burn, so if you want me to stay and give this fucker a show…” Kai trailed off softly waiting for Sehun’s reply, slowly moving his head back so he can face Sehun with his hands still holding him close. 

Sehun knows he can’t keep on hiding Kai until the wedding, because it seemed somewhat logical for Kai to meet his closest friends and then, meet his family members at the wedding so neither party would seem astounded that he has found someone and attack Kai like piranhas feasting on fresh meat at the wedding. 

“Fine..” Sehun murmured softly, watching Kai nod once with a sly smirk trying to be unveiled under his stoic face. 

“What are you guys doing?” Baekhyun furrowed his eyebrows confused. 

Kai turned around flashing him an easygoing smile with one arm wrapped possessively around Sehun’s torso. “Doesn’t concern you,” 

Kyungsoo’s brows flew upwards that they seemed to disappear underneath his black fringe. Even Baekhyun didn’t expect that type of reply. 

“Kidd-ing,” Kai let out an airy chuckle, and lowering his hand and intertwining Sehun’s cold fingers with his warm ones and started to move towards the set table that is occupied with Chanyeol, stuffing his mouth with dry seaweed unbothered by the situation. “Just telling Sunshine that I can push back my schedule for another half hour or so.” 

Baekhyun didn’t even know he was scowling at the couple who were seating themselves until he caught Kyungsoo’s eyes on him, while Kyungsoo was advancing to the table with an extra plate in his hand and a smirk on his lips. 

After all 5 males sat down around the table — Sehun beside his lover, Baekhyun and Chanyeol across from them with Kyungsoo sitting as the head of the table between the pairs — it slowly opened the gates of hell. 

“How’s the soup?” Sehun asked anxiously with expressive wide eyes, watching his roommates indulge the first spoonful. 

Kai didn’t touch the liquid knowing fully well what has happened to it earlier, and he doesn’t want to risk a stomachache or worse food-poisoning by pretending that he enjoyed the food. 

“It’s really salt-“ Baekhyun couldn’t finish his sentence since Chanyeol shoved a sliced radish in his mouth.  
“I like it! tastes really special, y’ know?” Chanyeol filled in.

“It’s bad, isn’t it?” Sehun sighs, dipping his spoon in the seaweed soup to taste. 

“No, no, just home-“  
“Yes it i-“  
“homemade feel to it.” Chanyeol finished, pinched Baekhyun under the table as the brunet glares in silence munching the yellow radish. 

“Oh god, that's so salty!” Sehun covered his mouth, flushed. “It’s terrible.”  
“It’s not!” Chanyeol tried to console the poor soul. 

Baekhyun for once feeling remorseful for the youngster, he leans back biting onto another radish. “It’s not salty, just has a tangy feel, y’ know?” 

Sehun looked at Baekhyun with a frown that turned into a pout. “I tried really hard for this dish..” 

“We can see that, right guys? It doesn’t taste at all that bad like Baek said - tangy.” Chanyeol nodded his head quickly, grabbing onto his bowl and chugged the soup. 

Kyungsoo who had been quiet throughout this exchange had actually let out a small yelp as if he was the one consuming the overly salt-filled soup. The soup was bad, he knew that since he was assigned most of the cooking in the shared apartment because he was the most capable out of the four of them to cook a decent meal. But this soup wouldn’t even be given to the homeless, that would be too cruel. It had a burned aftertaste after your tongue is covered with a layer of salt. 

“Oh shit,” Kai said staring at Chanyeol half-shocked, half-expectant. 

Chanyeol gulped down half of his soup before slamming the bowl on the table causing it to spill slightly, he stands up hurriedly and runs to the kitchen mouth still filled with the soup he couldn’t swallow down. 

“I knew it!” Sehun pointed accusingly at everyone on the table and rushed to the kitchen to aid Chanyeol in rinsing his mouth. 

Baekhyun scans Kai in silence and smirks as he notices something amiss. “Why didn’t you taste the soup? not supportive of your boyfriend-“

“I didn’t ask for you opinion on my actions,” Kai replied dryly, picking up a pickled radish. “but since you are more concerned about my intentions rather than your friend’s well-being I'll answer your irrelevant question - I was watching him cook, I’m not about to get high-blood pressure by pretending to like it.” 

Baekhyun’s mouth gapes open, and actually exchanges glance with Kyungsoo who shrugs. “For your information-“

“No, for your information,” Kai cut in. “A supportive boyfriend doesn’t lie to make his partner happy, instead they tell them honestly so they improve. Not letting them live in a lie of thinking they’re great when they’re not.” 

Chanyeol and Sehun come back, both looking pale but one for genetic purposes since Sehun naturally has pale skin, and the other - Chanyeol - just seems wan, due to the excessive sodium intake he tried to consume. 

“I’m sorry, Sehunnie.” Chanyeol pouted. 

“I thought I really got it right after I almost ruined it..” Sehun sighed, placing down the contains he carried from the fridge. 

Chanyeol began opening the cold containers and started to eat a little hurriedly trying to get rid of the salt flavour fully from his tongue. 

“What is that?” Kyungsoo spoke lifting his head with a slight angle to the right, trying to focus by squinting his eyes further. 

Kai and Sehun exchanged looks.

“I hear that too!” Baekhyun gasped about to raise from the table, only to have Sehun physically moan in despair with one hand face palming. He can not believe his luck, why is it always against him? It makes him wonder what he did in his past life to bring such misery to him in the most awkward and humiliating ways. 

“I sneezed,” Kai explained, wiping his nose.  
“That was NOT a sneeze.” 

“Are you actually trying to judge how I sneeze?” Kai scoffed.  
“I need the toilet.” Sehun was already out of his seat, speed-walking to his bedroom. 

“I was talking about the smell, dumb-ass. It smells like nicotine.” Kyungsoo stared at Baekhyun with pursed lips. “What are you hearing?”

“It sounds like a cat,” Baekhyun turned around facing the hallway trying to peek without getting up but failed. “Like a meow.”

“No shit. A cat meows?” Kyungsoo mocked the latter who threw at him a yellow pickle in retaliation. 

“I sneezed. I’m sensitive to the spices smell.” Kai replied cleverly, mixing up both accusations into one explanation pointing towards the food on the table. 

“It’s not a spice smell, it smells like nicotine.” 

Chanyeol paused from over-filling his mouth to quirk a brow at his roommate. “You mean cigarettes?”

“Exactly.”  
“Woah, you’re like a police dog.” Baekhyun snorted. 

“You’re very observant aren’t you?” Kai nodded his head casually, biting onto a small pickle. 

“What do you mean by that?” Kyungsoo stared at Kai, trying to unnerve the other but the pink-head was unfazed. 

“Nothing, can’t take a joke?” 

“He can’t! We wrote Satansoo on his birthday cake last-year and he didn’t speak to any of us for 3 months.” Chanyeol said with a mouthful of rice. 

“I’m back,” Sehun announced. 

As soon as Sehun sat down, Kai stood up trying to straighten his clothes. 

“I have to go now or I’m going to be late, baby.” Kai leaned down and kissed Sehun’s cheek lightly, causing the latter to redden in embarrassment. 

Instead of the rosy-head going to the front door, he walked over to the window of the living room and opened it fully, watching all of the roommates watch him like hawks. Without much effort he swagged back, grabbing his shoes and putting them on clumsy, his bag by the door. 

“I opened it for fresh-air, since your friend seemed hot and bothered about the smell,” Kai explained his gaze trained on Sehun’s.

“He makes it sound like an insult,” Baekhyun whispered to Chanyeol, who nodded vigorously. 

“B-Be careful!” Sehun raised his arm in the air to salute him and cringed internally once he realised what he just did. Kai on the other hand simply snorted, but never the less mimicked his fake-boyfriend by saluting his arm high in the air. 

“I’ll text you later, Sunshine.” 

And with that Kai left, and Sehun turned back only to have his three roommates stare at him full of curiosity.

“What? It’s o-our thing.” Sehun said defensively.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment, I would absolutely love your feedback.


	6. Vague

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment, I would absolutely love your feedback.

“Minseok the weirdo is knocking on the door again!” Tao yelled out, staring at the dark figure on the other side of the glass coffeeshop door tapping. 

“What?” Minseok hollers from the backroom. 

“I said the weirdo is back!” Tao repeated without taking his eyes off the strange man nor taking his hands off the broom he’s holding, secretly using it as a weapon if the man by the door keeps lingering around. 

Minseok walks out of the backroom leisurely, looking at Tao as if the Chinese student is going to provide further detail on what he had shouted earlier on because Minseok was far too busy stacking up the flour bags that have been delivered this morning. Tao didn’t even divert his attention away from the hidden man who’s taps quickened at the sight of the owner. 

Following the youngster’s gaze, Minseok by passed Tao and towards the locked doors with a snort, approaching the man. 

“Minseok no! Don’t do…” Tao pursed his lips unimpressed, watching his boss open the door for the stranger who entered the cafe as if it were his own home. “That.” 

“Why didn’t you open the door dickhead?” The man-boy, pulled down his beanie off his head revealing his dishevelled pink strands. 

“Why should I open the door to a homeless, pink-haired druggie at what? 10 at night.” Tao retorted with a scowl. 

Minseok strategically stood between the youngsters, hands stretched out on either side to stop any potential hits from happening. Minseok didn’t want to re-clean his coffee shop again tonight, he was frankly too tired to even yell at this point, the flour sacs took their troll on his old body. 

“Just sit down Kai.” Minseok gestured towards the seating area for the pink-head to decide, turning his head to his employee. “And you, please try to refrain from doing something you’ll regret later?” 

“Pussy bitch.” Kai stuck out his middle finger at an enraged Tao who retaliated by throwing his dirty dish-rag at Kai and bulls-eye — right in the face. 

“I don’t regret that.”  
“I’ll make you!” 

It took Minseok a solid 6 minute to hold back Kai, while Tao stood a few feet away with a victorious smirk. After Minseok settled down Kai and gave him a threatening glare once he saw him stand up to go and attack Tao. Kai scoffed lowering back on the wooden chair, throwing his backpack on the table, rummaging through it roughly his angry frown imprinted on his cracked lips. 

“You. Coffee sacs. Now.” Minseok ordered pointing at the direction of the backroom. 

“I need to go home and study Minseokie!” Tao was already taking his apron mid-way off. 

“You’re the one who volunteered to help me out, Zitao!”  
“I know, but I'm un-volunteering now?” 

Tao knew Minseok was going to let him go, he wasn’t a horrible boss but that didn’t mean Tao was allowed to do whatever he pleased whenever he felt like it, the other co-owner of the place already didn’t like Tao so the university student can’t really risk angering the only one who is pleasant. 

“Just get out.” The owner grumbled walking towards the backroom, and Tao was about to follow him and tell him he will carry the remaining coffee and flour sacs since the guilt was weighing on his shoulders heavily at the slow shuffle of his boss’s feet. But instead, Minseok came out with an umbrella held out to the 21 year-old. 

“I heard its gonna rain later on the night, so use it,” Minseok gave the latter a playful smile. ”I don’t want to see you all sick in your next shift, or I’m gonna deduct from your pay check.” 

“I promise, thanks boss.” Tao already had his bag underneath the counter, began walking towards the door excited for the birthday gathering he is going to since his friends have texted him about the night before. 

Kai was glaring at the lanky employee. “Don’t let the door hit you on the way out, bastard.” 

“Don’t snort the white powder in the back, it’s flour not cocaine.” Tao slammed the door behind him with the bell jingling aggressively and unrhythmical. 

Minseok opened his mouth to lecture the pink-head about swearing and manners but clamped his mouth shut for a few reasons. One being that he hasn’t seen Kai in over 2 weeks and doesn’t want him to leave and another was that frankly it was a hopeless lecture since talking to Kai was like talking to a dog who doesn’t understand why you aren’t giving it more food, even though it’s not good for its body. 

“So,” Minseok walks back behind the counter. “What brings you here?” 

Kai stood up in such a rowdy manner that the chair fell back on the floor with a loud thud. “Fine, I’ll leave. It’s fucking obvious I’m not wanted.” 

“Whoa, take it easy.” Minseok raised his hands in the air. “I didn’t say your company isn’t wanted, I rather enjoy it.” 

“Yeah, doesn’t sound like it.” Kai sneered picking up the chair. 

Minseok knew Kai was sweet-tongued and always on survival mode, that was the first impression he gave the coffee shop owner. Minseok doesn’t know about Kai very well, if anything they were practically strangers. What he does know of Kai is that he holds a lot of hostility and anger inside of him and he is far too grown up for his age — another thing he doesn’t know about Kai. 

Minseok frowns but doesn’t retort not wanting to infuriate the youngster any further, instead he fixes both of them some hot cinnamon coffee, but one thing he found out about Kai is that he doesn’t like coffee very much so Minseok filled Kai’s mug with 3/4 of warm milk and the remainder was the cinnamon coffee. 

He set down the mugs with a plate of 2 strawberry tarts, the remaining of today’s pastry display, and positioned himself across from Kai. 

Kai himself didn’t utter a word instead, he stared at the marshmallow floating inside of his cup. Only then did Minseok see it. There it was, bright and raw as it could get. A scarlet hand-imprint on the side of his face. 

“Oh Kai..” 

“Is this free?” Kai answered instead eyeing the table with delicacies.

Minseok gave him a small smile and nodded, watching the pink-head drink hurriedly and pull the mug away since it was still steaming hot scrunching up his nose at the mild pain. 

Minseok opened his mouth to speak but Kai beat him to it. “I’m sorry.”

“Hm?” Minseok was beyond confused, the boy before him never utter those words. He didn’t even think that Kai even know the word and what it meant. But he was glad he was proven wrong, because that meant that Kai wasn’t a lost cause. 

“I’m sorry okay?” Kai rested his chin on his folded arms, his infamous glower. “I didn’t mean to lash out on you earlier, I was just…” He shrugged. 

“It’s alright, I know you don’t mean any bad intentions.”  
“How? You can’t trust people blindly, it’s stupid.” 

“Well you never proved me blind so far.” Minseok’s smile was pure and genuine that Kai couldn’t look at the older man any longer instead averted his attention to his warm drink with wide expressive eyes. 

“Stop it, I don’t like it.” Kai grumbled, slowly drinking his warm cinnamon coffee, practically milk. 

When Kai first met Minseok he was frightened to death thinking the elder was a bad man but instead of Minseok calling the police to report him, he called him over to his apartment for a hot shower, clean bed and a plate of warm food. Kai never understood why Minseok helped him because he didn’t deserve it and there was no reason for the Coffee-owner to do such a deed. It wasn’t his place and yet Minseok helped Kai. 

And for that, Kai will forever be in-debt to the simple acts of kindness Minseok provides him with. He looks up to Minseok, like a big brother but he doesn’t like to burden the older so he keeps his troubles to himself. 

“I only say what’s true,” Minseok stuck out his tongue pushing the strawberry tarts further to Kai. “So answer me, what brings your royal presence over here? It’s been a while.” 

“2 weeks actually.” Kai corrected softly, causing warmth to spread in Minseok’s chest knowing he at least held a place in the younger’s heart if he was counting. “And what? I can’t come over to see you? You said I can drop by anytime.” 

“And I mean it, usually you’d come by around midnight if you came but here you are a little early.” Minseok shrugged, the question was on his tongue wanting to escape. 

“Yeah well, I finished early today.” Kai replied munching on the tart hungrily, he hadn’t ate all day apart from a few pickles and mouthfuls of cake courtesy of Sehun. Then his eyes widened with excitement, causing Minseok’s to widen as well at the sudden gesture. 

“What?”  
“You won’t believe what happened to me, Minnie!” Kai grinned only to realise his actions. “Doesn’t matter actually.”

“No, no. It matters, I have all the time in the world,” Minseok signed for his tart to Kai who took it greedily. “Like I said I enjoy spending time with you kiddo.” 

Kai couldn’t help but have a smile spread on his face, he liked spending time with Minseok too. He felt wanted and loved at moments like this, especially when loneliness follows him like a shadow. He wishes he could be like Minseok with everything’s figured out and being always happy, Kai looks up to Minseok a lot of the time but not ever would he tell the brunet that. 

“Okay, well,” Kai beamed holding onto the tart hovering near his mouth. “A few weeks back I needed a ride home, and I had no money so I kept asking strangers if they could give me a ride and everyone said no. But what happened was, this super drunk guy keeps stumbling and ends up face-planting the concrete!” 

“Oh no,” Minseok chuckled covering his mouth in comical horror, further boosting Kai’s confidence. 

“Yeah, I know! I kept laughing too, and he then came up to me and vomited and started saying he had friends made out of paper? I don’t know. Anyway, he was holding onto some car keys and I took them telling him I’ll drive him home. And I did.”

“What did you do with that car Kai?” Minseok narrowed his eyes disapprovingly. 

“Nothing! I fell asleep with him and woke up the next day and left.” Pink-head replied casually licking his finger where the strawberry jam smudged. 

“I can’t belie-“ Kai excitedly cut him off, causing the table to wobble at his force. 

“Then I see him at the store! He kept on pestering me about being his fake boyfriend for 2 weeks, and I wasn’t going to do it for free.” 

“No, you didn’t.” Minseok face-palmed.  
“I wanted a grand. It would have been easy money but we talked and he said 800 dollars. That’s so much!” 

Minseok shook his head but he had a smile gracing his lips slowly getting up to take the empty plate and mugs, heading to the counter. He glances at the clock, it’s exceedingly late and buses were going to stop working soon until dawn. Maybe his uneasiness and worry for the boy will be erased tonight if Kai sleeps at his apartment above the coffee shop. 

“What sandwich do you prefer? cheese and tomato or tuna?” It was obvious Kai was starving with the way he was swallowing the food without really tasting it, just something to stop his stomach from rumbling. “I think I have peanut butter somewhere…”

“No, no. I’m leaving anyway.” Kai grabbed onto his bag hurriedly, standing up. “I overstayed my welcome.” 

Minseok’s head pops up from under the cabinet of the cafe like a meerkat on alert of a predator.

“What? No. You’re absolutely welcome here, how many times do we have to go through thi- Kai! Don’t you dar- Kai!” Minseok tried to run after the rose-haired male, whom already has exited the shop. Kai left Minseok standing outside of his shop’s door staring at Kai cross the road recklessly, swerving away from a car or two until he reached the other side of the pavement in one piece. 

“Get back here!” Minseok scolded, only to get a smile in return but it didn’t reach Kai’s eyes. 

“My bed is calling my name, Minnie!” He waved wildly from across the street, adjusting his hood over his beanie. 

Minseok knew this was hopeless, so he dropped his arms with a sigh glancing at the other side of the street with pursed lips because he failed. “At least let me make you a sandwich and then go!” 

“See you!” 

Kai was already near the corner of the block throwing his arm in the air in a final farewell for the 29-year-old coffeeshop owner. 

☾~~~~~☽

Chanyeol fell into deep slumber directly after filling his stomach with 4 bowls of ramen and a handful of radishes, due to Sehun’s salty soup disaster. But unlike the giant, his other 3 roommates were getting ready for bed since it was way past midnight. 

Sehun felt exhausted and he wasn’t sure where the exact source was from, because it was mixture of things that brought on his fatigue. He almost killed his friend with high sodium intake accidentally, he did an illegal act of bringing in a cat into a building that restricted all types of pets and there was a minor clash between himself and Kai. 

General Kitty McMittens was fed some chicken slices from the take-out the boys ordered once Kai left the apartment, and now is curled up in his cage inside of his book kingdom on the corner of Sehun’s room. Sehun wasn’t sure what he’ll do with the cat after the two weeks are up, he doesn’t have the heart to take him back to the shop since they already stated he would be put down to sleep if it wasn’t for him. 

Then it struck him. He will have a mini-mission of somehow forcing both Kai and General Kitty McMittens on gaining affection for one another, Sehun grinned at the thought. Maybe watching all of these animal documentaries that include ways of attraction during mating season would finally pay off. And then General Kitty McMittens will have a home, Kai’s home. 

Sehun walked out of his room to fetch a glass of water to stop his quench, and partly to see who is still up and awake at 2:37A.M. And to his surprise the only source of light in the living room was the television with Baekhyun curled up on the couch and freshly showered with a bottle of wine on his side and a half drunken glass in his hand. 

“Sehun what is this?” Kyungsoo emerged from the open kitchen with a water bottle in hand, wearing matching black and white checkered pyjamas that look somewhat like a business suit of sort. Sehun snorted imaging Kyungsoo walk into a meeting in such fashion with his brief-case switched into a bunny. 

“Hey did you hear me?” 

Sehun blinked a few times as Kyungsoo’s fingers were moving away from his eyes warily, since the shorter male was very unpredictable - he didn’t want to go blind any time soon. 

“Um, I’m not sure?” Sehun gave him an awkward smile, but it was not returned instead of a hit in the head with a plastic water bottle. “Kyungsoo!” 

“What is this?” 

Sehun stared at the water bottle held close to his face, instead of having H2O inside of it, the bottle contained the ashes of the cigarettes Kai used earlier. Sehun mentally shrieked, because Kai was supposed to have thrown that out immediately. Thankfully though, Kai didn’t dispose the cigarette buds inside of the bottle, only tapping the ashes mixed with the small amount of water inside. 

“It was part of the soup, the herb mix, y’know?” Sehun gave Kyungsoo a thumbs up, but the latter was far from amused. 

“It smells very much like nicotine, and looks like nicotine ashes,” Kyungsoo stared into Sehun’s panicked orbs, with a perfectly raised brow. “Like someone had a cigarette in this apartment.” 

 

“It’s thyme, Soo. It smells like smoke because I burned it…” Sehun focused on Kyungsoo’s forehead blemish, squeezing his brain for more fibs. “And..and the bin was full, so yeah, I put the burned thyme in the bottle so I can throw it later.”

“This doesn’t look like thyme.” Kyungsoo narrowed his eyes, but Sehun doesn’t want to be busted and surprisingly doesn’t back down. 

“What!” Sehun whined showing his hands and turned his back to Kyungsoo pretending to busy himself with his original motive of leaving his bedroom, which was a glass of water. “You tell us to not put liquids in the bin, so it doesn’t rip and cause a bigger mess. I did just that.” 

“Fine.” Kyungsoo surrendered with pursed lips, throwing the bottle in the freshly-cleaned bin. “But don’t think I’m not on to you if I smell cigarettes inside of this apartment I will light you and the cigarette on fire.” 

Sehun grins and bows to his housemate and friend a full 90-degree bow to show his gratitude, glad he didn’t get caught. He is slowly getting good at acting, maybe because of Kai, he picked up a thing or two. Sehun remembers when he was casted as a doorknob in 7th grade, he tried to audition as Romeo in the school play, his drama teacher can suck on that — Sehun felt he could now do broadway from fooling Kyungsoo. 

Sehun pauses from his walk back to his room when Baekhyun comments about his fake-boyfriend. 

“Hm?” 

Baekhyun is still facing the television, lowering the volume. “I said, Kai, is very unusual.” 

“Yeah…I wasn’t too thrilled with his pink hair either,” Sehun jokes trying to remain calm, because Baekhyun was a hurricane, that cannot be stopped. “But I grew to like it.” 

Baekhyun turns slightly showing on his bare-faced side profile, raising his wine glass to his lips. “In someways, Kai is a lot like Luhan.” 

Sehun forgets to breath, staring at the back of Baekhyun’s head in a mixture of hurt and shock. Reminding him to breath was Kyungsoo’s comforting pat on the back. 

“It’s none of your fucking business, Baekhyun.” But the reply was bubbling laughter, Baekhyun snuggled deeper into the couch his eyes focused on the television screen which was the only light source of the dim room. 

“It’s ridiculous..”Baekhyun mutters, chugging the remainder of the wine down his system inelegantly whispering other incoherent sentences. 

Finally finding his voice Sehun opens to explain or to defend himself and Kai — to say anything for that matter, but Baekhyun’s howling startles him and Kyungsoo both. Baekhyun curls up into himself, tossing the empty glass on the couch. 

“Why? why?” Baekhyun whimpers, his eyes were watery. “What went wrong? I-I can’t fucking understand it.” 

Sehun couldn’t understand either why Baekhyun was glaring at him with so much hatred and vexation, Kyungsoo carefully walked around the couch to get to Baekhyun, but the latter stood up swiftly pointing a shaky finger at Sehun the couch between them. 

“Do you realise how much I fucking hate your cousin? I hate him so fucking much.” Baekhyun said heatedly. 

Sehun knew, from the moment of the breakup between Baekhyun and Jongdae he was reminded every chance Baekhyun would hiss and scorn vile words and looks. Sehun always took it without a complaint because as much as it was unfair on Sehun to be on the shitty short end of the stick of Baekhyun’s sharp tongue, he understood the heartbroken boy. He understood that it was unfair for Baekhyun to be in the situation he was in now, and Sehun get it because he’s been there and still is. Baekhyun needs time, and Sehun will give it to him infinitely. 

“You’re always fucking easy, aren’t you Sehunnie? Dating men that play you and you’re okay with it, because you think that’s all the good and love you’re gonna get, huh?”

So, Sehun lets Baekhyun take out his anger on him all the time it was the only way Baekhyun could possibly hurt Jongdae without facing the said man, he wanted Sehun to hurt the same way Jongdae hurt him. 

Baekhyun was now yelling profanities and inappropriate slurs at Sehun, some were directed at him and other’s were indirected to Jongdae through him. Kyungsoo finally taking a hold of Baekhyun’s hands he pulls him down on the couch, with little fight Baekhyun let’s himself be held by Kyungsoo’s arms mumbling drunken words. 

Kyungsoo takes in Sehun’s fragile state at the reoccurring verbal fight, and sighs. “I’ve got it, you should go to bed.” 

Numbly Sehun nods, dragging his feet to his room his glass of water forgotten, he can see from the corner of his eye Baekhyun clinging onto Kyungsoo’s pyjama’s sobbing, while Kyungsoo kept on patting Baekhyun’s back whispering soothing words to the heartbroken drunk. 

That night Sehun sleeps with a heavy heart. 

☾~~~~~☽

It was morning, a very cold, dreary and sluggish morning. Sehun didn’t understand why he agreed to Baekhyun’s plan in the first place, maybe because he lacked food and was sleep deprived from the night before. He’s sure to regret his decision when he is fully aware state of everything soon. After the drowsiness disappears. 

Entering the park, a slight breeze rustles the leaves making them fall to the soil ground one by one, indicating the harsher seasons to come. The air was chilly, the beams of the sunlight warming up Sehun’s skin. Flowers are vast and they conceal the freshly cut grass. The pathways so convenient lined with deciduous trees and old copper benches that were once a beautiful cerulean blue but now a chipped and primitive.

“Stop moving Sehun!” Baekhyun growled, adjusting the earphone he placed underneath the latter’s clothes and is hidden behind Sehun’s ear available for use as a make shift earpiece. 

Sehun clenches his teeth with pursed lips trying to not lash out, he was already having second thoughts about his roommate’s ridiculous plan at 6 A.M. in the morning. 

“Man it would be much cooler if we had the spy earpieces.” Chanyeol grinned, bundled up in a thick maroon scarf. 

“Yeah, but it’s too expensive. I could buy that skincare package instead.” Baekhyun shrugged finally pulling away from Sehun letting the college student have his personal-space bubble. 

“Can we hear what Sehun says then?” Chanyeol asked. 

“No. It’s not some high-end gadget. It’s a pair of earphones, one-sided communication.” Baekhyun clarified with a huff. “This isn’t James Bond, unfortunately.”

Baekhyun adjusts his dark-navy peat coat and began to march through the park along with his two roommates. Kyungsoo was not with them, because nobody dared to wake him up remembering the last time they woke him up for a surprise breakfast that ended with food everywhere including Sehun’s butt-crack, Chanyeol’s crotch and Baekhyun being cornered and threatened with a spork.

“I’ll be talking to you through this,” Baekhyun points to the earphone. “And you do as I say, okay?”

“No.” Sehun blurred out in a panic, he can see ahead of them a small blob of pink. 

“Sehun!” Baekhyun whined as he runs his hand through his dark locks. “I promise you, we are doing this for your own well-being. It’s hard to get back into the game, especially with someone so out of your league.” 

Chanyeol rolls his eyes at Baekhyun’s wording. Originally Chanyeol wanted to sleep in since he didn’t have morning classes today, but this scheme was too good to pass up. Partly because he was worried about Baekhyun in general since the boy tended to have sudden and common meltdowns, and partly because he was curious on Sehun’s new found relationship. 

“Why did I agree to this?” Sehun groaned, squatting on the dirtied path with his head held between his hands. 

But Sehun knew why he agreed to this, deep down he knew. Even though he was terrified and drowsy when Baekhyun ambushed him in his own bed shirtless with puffed eyes and a shit-eating grin, Sehun couldn’t say no to whatever Baekhyun was about to say to him at 5 A.M.

After last nights events, Sehun doesn’t harbour any bad feelings to Baekhyun because he knows that his friend is going through a very rough patch in his life and even though he’s taking it out on Sehun most of the time for the sole reason of Sehun being related to Jongdae. 

Once Baekhyun woke up from his sobering wine-induced heartache nap and remembered his cruel words to his roommate the brunet felt immediate guilt. Baekhyun loves Sehun with all his heart like a brother ever since they all entered the same high school but he has urges and impulses whenever he sees Sehun do partially anything since a few gestures and comments here and there resemble Jongdae’s. 

“Because you know this will make your bond with your boyfriend stronger,” Baekhyun stated with an eye-roll. 

As an apology for being exceptionally hateful to Sehun, Baekhyun decided in the midst of taking a piss in the bathroom after he woke up from his drunken nap at dawn, to help Sehun.

Having formulated a flawless plan — in the span of 5 minutes while taking a leak — of assisting Sehun and his boyfriend to have the perfect relationship, to ensure that the lovebirds will genuinely feel the emotion of true love, something he failed to accomplish.

Due to Baekhyun’s new and sudden found interest that was playing cupid to both Sehun and Kai, he might have found a way to finally get over Jongdae. If Baekhyun can secure and tighten the bonds of this fresh relationship, then Baekhyun can secure and tighten the bonds of his broken heart back to a whole through them. 

That’s why Baekhyun almost immediately entered Sehun’s bedroom and jumped on the sleeping lad looking like a psychopath with a plan for vengeance. He ordered Sehun to call Kai and tell him to meet up at 6 A.M. by the park. Terrified and drowsy, the latter did what he was told instantaneously. 

Baekhyun explained his plan to Chanyeol and it made it all the more reason for Chanyeol to go. He wasn’t about to let Baekhyun ruin a relationship with his ridiculous expectations of love, for the sake of Baekhyun feeling accomplished and not empty anymore. 

“This is such a bad idea, I’m sorry I don’t think I can do it.” Sehun sighed still lowered on the grim pathway, Chanyeol chuckled pulling Sehun up and dusting the younger’s ebony overcoat. 

“Don’t panic, just breathe. He’s your boyfriend, you can strike up any conversation with him right?” Chanyeol comforted Sehun, but it made Sehun feel his stomach twist because of his falsehood. 

Baekhyun shoves Sehun away from them and grabs Chanyeol’s sleeve. “Man up! Just tell him you missed him terribly or had a bad nightmare or couldn’t sleep! Makeup something, to why you called him at dawn.”

“But you forced me to call him! We’re lucky he answered on the second ring.” Sehun defended himself.

“I didn’t know he’d actually come, he’s getting some brownie points from us.” Baekhyun starts to pull Chanyeol with him further from Sehun. “Now go and chat with him, it’s a morning date.” 

Sehun stared at the duo dumbfound by the illogical explanation. Why did the universe hate him so much he doesn’t remember a time he was exceptionally bad to have Karma bite his ass like this recently.

Sehun remembers vaguely when Baekhyun bounced on his bed already calling Kai from Sehun’s phone, mouthing to him the words. Naturally being shitless scared to see a bare-chested Baekhyun in the dark with a crazed grin and frazzled hair at god-knows-what time sitting on his legs, made him recite with Baekhyun. 

We wanna see if he’s a good boyfriend. “My life sucks,” Sehun mutters approaching Kai whom he can see in the distance. 

Kai was hunched up sitting on the bench’s backrest looking equally as sleep deprived as Sehun. His pink hair was unruly and uncombed, but the closer Sehun got to him the more he had a clear view of Kai’s clothing choice or for the lack of it. 

Kai spots Sehun. The way Kai’s eyes squinted when he glared at Sehun, reminding Sehun of a pit viper’s slit-like pupils. Sehun gulped nervously. A burning hostility was developing in Kai’s mocha orbs, and Sehun knew he was likely the root cause of the problem. 

“Um, good morning?” Sehun’s smile was slow and awkward because every time the corner of his lips rose upwards Kai’s scowl went downwards. 

Kai carefully climbs off the bench, not once breaking eye contact with a nervous Sehun like some sort of Jaguar analysing his prey. Every step Kai took closer to Sehun, the latter took two steps back feeling cornered. 

Not in the mood to keep going with this silly game, Kai gets a hold of Sehun’s wrist and yanks him towards him. Sehun can honestly say he can see the gates of hell open in Kai’s dark orbs. 

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Kai hissed his voice intensifying by the word. 

Sehun’s eyes widened in panic as he leans back his head, not even attempting to pull away from Kai because his roommates are watching them from afar, but deep down he knows he is no match to Kai’s strength — he will keep what’s little of his pride left, thank you. 

“Hear me out before you kill me,” Sehun cringed. “My roommates forced me to call you and meet you here, but to my defence Baekhyun is very persuasive when he is waking you up half-naked and probably a little tipsy.” 

“What?” 

Sehun winces even further, this was utterly embarrassing to even explain. Was he that much of a pushover? Sehun could have just said no, but it’s always complicated when it came to Sehun’s decision making. 

“Baekhyun doesn’t think we are that loved-up, because he believes he’s the guru of love and relationships. So, he decided to help us out, because he thinks we could be better?” 

“At 6 in the morning?”  
“Yes…” 

“Are you shitting me?” Kai said letting go of Sehun’s wrist. 

“I am not,” Sehun answered sheepishly fidgeting with the hem of his coat. “Pooping you…I mean.” 

Kai tilts his head back groaning in displeasure, he couldn’t believe this. Of all people to be a pretend boyfriend to, which was currently none from his past experiences, he landed with someone so naive like Sehun. 

“You’re paying me an extra 100,” Kai ordered finally stepping away from Sehun and gravitated towards the bench. 

Sehun’s eyes widened, glancing around to see where his two roommates were located in the park. “Sssh!” 

“Are you shushing me?” Kai gawked actually offended, “Don’t make me say 200 dollars in c-“

Sehun’s warm hand covers Kai’s chapped lips in a state of distress, Kai immediately shoved it away standing up to loom over Sehun in hopes of intimidating him since Kai was in no mood for jokes and games. 

But before Kai could do some damage with his mouth, Sehun did the unexpected — he hugged Kai. It was so abrupt that Sehun didn’t realise what he had done until he felt Kai’s warm breath tickle his ear. 

“My roommates are hiding somewhere near here, so they can watch.” Sehun’s muttered into Kai’s ear. “Please act like you’re, I don’t know, just act?”

Kai rolled his eyes but complied because he was cold and Sehun was warm. He wrapped his arms around Sehun’s waist, leaning into him. 

“You are so paying me extra,” Kai whispered.

“What? no.” Sehun whispered back. 

And the war of whispers began, both males arguing in soft shush in each other’s ears to not attract unwanted attention. But that was out of the question since they stood in the middle of the path looking like night and day — polar opposites. 

“I want an extra 100.”  
“No.”  
“Yes.”  
“Kai, we decided on 800.”  
“I changed my mind, dumbass.” 

“We made a deal, you should honour it.”  
“What are you? King Arthur? I want an extra 100.” 

“I’m not adding more money, 800 dollars is a big number anyway.” 

Kai digs his chin into Sehun’s shoulder and smirks when the latter tries to squirm away from the pain. Kai leans closer to Sehun’s ear, his lips brushing against Sehun’s cartilage as he speaks. “You call me at 5 A.M. and tell me to wait for you in the cold, no questions asked? I deserve my money.” 

“Why are you two hugging for so long?” Baekhyun’s voice echoed through the earphone connected to Sehun’s phone. 

Sehun knew he was doomed, this was it. He’s going to be exposed any minute now. He knew he had utterly made a bad decision the moment he agreed to part take in Baekhyun’s love-experiment at dawn. Sehun needed to work on his decision-making skills, because all they ever do is get him to deep trouble. 

“So what is it going to be?” Kai tilted his head to watch Sehun, since he rested his cheek on the latter’s broad shoulders. 

“50?”  
“100.”  
“I’m not giving you a 100, that’s too much.” 

Kai pulls away from Sehun his infamous scowl present and angry as ever. 

“What’s too fucking much is having to be your fake-“ Sehun covered his mouth in a panic. 

“What are you doing?” Baekhyun asked in Sehun’s earphone and turned to Chanyeol who’s engrossed in the couple’s interaction like some sort of Korean drama. 

“Please..” Sehun pleaded, but Kai simply pushed the university student away. 

“No fuck you. I’m not your little doll—Crap!” 

Sehun wanted to continue on his pleading and very bad negotiating skills, and maybe defend himself a little to show he wasn’t a complete pushover to the world, instead two furry white dogs were barking at their feet interrupted them both. Kai instantly expressed his alarm for the animal’s presence by climbing on top of the bench, trying to shoo the dogs away. 

“Y-Your afraid of dogs?” Sehun said in disbelief, he can hear Baekhyun and Chanyeol’s guffawing in his right ear.

“No! I just don’t like them very much.” Kai glared trying to scare the dogs, that have now cornered him on the bench, with his foot. 

Sehun can see the dogs’ owner jog towards them and smiled at her to show he was a decent civilian, unlike Kai. 

“But we went to the pet store and you didn’t act like this?” Sehun covered his mouth to stop his sniggering, because Kai actually yelped when the dog nipped his finger. 

“Don’t mock me!” Kai threatened to watch the dog owner within close range of them. “I-I didn’t mind the pet store since they’re all in cages. But loose dogs aren’t my favourite.” 

“I'm sorry about my dogs, they tend to be overly friendly.” The lady, in her late 40’s chuckled waving the loose leashes in the air. 

“It’s fine, no worries.” Sehun nodded at her with a small smile, watching her clip on the leashes. 

“No, it’s not fucking fine,” Kai sneers with his arms crossed, still standing on the bench. “It’s not a zoo around here for you to let your mutts loose. It’s a park, not a dog’s park. Which means there are people around here, trying to relax and not have dogs attacking them.” 

The woman looked flustered and apologised again for her inconvenience, tugging her small dogs away from the fake couple hurriedly. Sehun’s face was beetroot red by the interaction, because of Kai’s behaviour. 

Sehun observed Kai climbing off the bench with his face scrunched up to express his frustration, carefully Kai sat on the bench sighing in relief. 

“Go console him, Sehun!” Baekhyun commanded in frustration at the sight of the rosy-hair sitting alone on the bench while his roommate stood to stare at Kai dumbly. 

Sehun nodded and sat down beside Kai who surprisingly didn’t move away from Sehun’s close frame. Kai’s eyes were glazed, lost in thought as he stared off into the scenery of the park, while Sehun was focused on Kai’s choice of clothes. 

If anything, Kai was wearing very similar clothes to the last time they met, but the difference was that Kai was sporting a thin long-sleeved black sweater that most likely held no warmth. Sehun eyes wondered to the latter’s pants that were the same tight, also black and very shredded ripped jeans that showed more skin than cover it. 

“Are…are you okay?” 

Kai grunts, leaning back on the bench. “Just…go away?” 

“I’m sorry…I didn’t mean to laugh, that was not nice.” 

“You’re not gone yet?” Kai side-eyed him, as Sehun shook his head. “Mm.” 

“Ask him for breakfast Sehun! Breakfast date is always a good idea!” Baekhyun cheered loudly into the mic of his phone, that Sehun actually flinched. 

Sehun cringed by how awful this was going, he didn’t want to console Kai because he was slightly terrified of the man and him not knowing how to console was a very big part of this new dilemma. He just wished he was a hermit at times like this, maybe everything would have been simpler. 

“I’m sorry…I didn’t fully realise what I was doing until I came here.” Sehun ended up saying, he could see Kai closed his eyes trying to calm himself from lashing out at Sehun. 

“Yeah well, neither did I,” Kai grumbled leaning back with his arms crossed. 

“Ask him for breakfast! OH SEHUN!” Baekhyun shrieked in Sehun’s right ear, that Sehun actually flicked off the earphone because he was certain that he’s lost some of his hearing in those few moments. 

Kai leaned his face close to Sehun’s, causing Sehun to go rigid by the action. 

“Can I leave now? I haven’t slept.” Kai blinked his big brown orbs, and Sehun had to snap out of how innocent they would’ve looked if they weren't surrounded by dark circles. 

“Um,” Sehun said smartly, scolding himself for his ridiculous replies throughout this whole conversation. He felt like he was a fish talking to a tree —just ridiculous. 

“BREAKFAST DATE!” Baekhyun yelled so loud, that the pair actually looked around to the source while Chanyeol grabbed his roommate who was standing up and waving his arms in the air, trying to silence him. 

Kai quirked his left brow upwards at Sehun who shrugged helplessly at the sight of Chanyeol and Baekhyun wrestling for the phone that connected to Sehun’s earphone, behind the bushes so much that leaves were actually flying around them. 

“Breakfast date? Instead of the 100?” Sehun stood up from the bench wrapping his coat around himself. 

Kai stood up and looped his arm with Sehun’s cuddling up to an awkward Sehun. “Fine, but it’s your treat, Sunshine.” 

Sehun knew he was most certainly doomed, maybe being single would have caused much less hassle. He needs to find a good cave in the middle of the forest, so he can hide away as a hermit and not have people around him, only animals. 

They walked in silence that was surprisingly comfortable, but throughout their exit from the park, Sehun noticed that Kai kept on slightly limping leaning more on his right leg. When they stopped by the red light waiting for the green-man to light up Sehun dares to ask. 

“You don’t look fine..” Sehun tried again, turning to face the other. “I mean, your leg hurts, I saw when you tried to get off the bench.” 

Subconsciously Kai’s palm was his sore thigh, glaring at Sehun momentarily then looked away. “That doesn’t concern you.” 

Sehun bobbed his head awkwardly, looking straight ahead. “I guess…I’m sorry, I just—“

“I got robbed late last night when I went to pick up some snacks from the convenience store near my place.” Kai explains, rubbing his nape slightly with slight embarrassment shown on his flushed ears. 

“What? Oh, I am so sorry—“ Sehun was cut off again.

“Stop apologising, it’s not your fault, they only took my snacks and change. I don’t need your pity so don’t say sorry.” Kai complained leaning closer to Sehun’s warm body. 

“Sorry I— Aah, O-Okay.” Sehun realised when Kai gave him a pointed look, which he returned with a sheepish smile. 

“Do you know where we’re heading to? It better be close or I’m ditching.”  
“It’s a diner and it’s really close by actually.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment, I would absolutely love your feedback.


	7. Breakfast Questionnaire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment, I would absolutely love your feedback.

“Here’s your order gentlemen, one stack of pancakes with vanilla ice cream,” The waitress places down the plate in front of Sehun with a smile and turns to Kai. “and one black coffee, no sugar?” 

Kai nodded in confirmation at the waitress, watching Sehun in disdain as he attacked his fluffy pancakes. 

“What?” Sehun dares to ask with a mouthful. 

“You are such a child,” Kai scoffs eyeing Sehun’s plate. “You’re definitely going to get diabetes.” 

Sehun for once was unaffected by the comment, he hadn’t eaten all morning, so this was heavenly to him. Biting another mouthful, Sehun glances at Kai out of curiosity, the pink-head was typing furiously on his phone and then tossed the device on the marble table carelessly, focusing on Sehun with such an intense stare that Sehun was taken back. 

“W-Wanna a bite?” Sehun offers his fork hesitantly.

Kai immediately shakes his head in disgust by the sight of the sliced pancakes and melted ice cream scoops that were drowned in syrup. “I’m on a diet. And that stuff is really not good for you, sweets.” 

Flushed by the nickname Sehun swallows hurriedly to defend his food choice. “Y-Yeah? well, it must be sad to be you, if you hate pancakes and ice cream! They might not be good for the body, but they’re good for the soul.” 

Kai actually snorts and Sehun couldn’t be more starstruck by the sight of Kai crinkling his eyes and the slight tip of his mouth curled upwards. “What’s the matter ice cream-boy? Am I that good looking?” 

Sehun couldn’t even utter another word too horrified by what he was witnessing, behind Kai was his roommates, scanning the dinner as if it’s a crime scene. In some way, it was to Sehun since he was doing no justice by lying about his relationship status. 

“Poop on a popsicle..” Sehun blurred out helplessly watching his roommates spot them. 

Kai furrowed his brows in confusion unsure of what to question first; Sehun’s choice of words or the fact the Sehun looked panicked borderline traumatised. Suddenly Sehun’s eyes shifted to Kai startling the pink-head.

“What?” Kai said defensively unconsciously leaning back. 

“Oh my god! Such a coincidence to see you two here!” Baekhyun’s shrilling voice explained everything to Kai. “Is this a breakfast date? So cute!” 

Kai stared at the duo standing by their table with identical grins looking like wild unclaimed Pokemons acting all foreign and surprised. Shamelessly Baekhyun sits beside Sehun while Chanyeol sat beside Kai. 

“What are you doing here?” Sehun whispered to Baekhyun who winked at him in reply, leaving Sehun more confused than he initially began. 

“Can I get a cheese omelette please?” Baekhyun hollered at the counter with his arm raised to indicate where he’s seated for the staff. 

Kai in disdain eyed Baekhyun, he wanted to punch the man until he disappeared due to his ridiculous plan that got Kai out of bed early. Kai is already regretting his decision to come by the park when he got the phone call at dawn. Kai honestly thought Sehun was crying or something along those lines because of his morning voice, not Baekhyun intimidating Sehun into a morning date.

“Kai it’s been a while. How are you, champ?” Baekhyun focused on Kai with a smile too wide to be real. 

“I saw you yesterday, champ.” The sarcasm was dripping, Kai wasn’t in the mood to tolerate Baekhyun as much as Sehun wanted. 

Baekhyun’s smile doesn’t falter if anything it widened. “Why aren’t you eating? You don’t like diner food?” 

Kai’s eyes shifted to Sehun’s apologetic ones, he needed the money that’s what Kai kept reminding himself. “No, Sunshine and I are sharing.”

“Prove it.” Baekhyun taunted nodding at the pancake stakes in front of Sehun. 

Kai stared hard at Sehun with pursed lips and Sehun just knew exactly how miracles worked. Because the table between himself and Kai was a miracle to stop a murder from happening that very moment; his murder. 

“Aaah.” Kai looked almost in pain opening his mouth as he leaned in, waiting for Sehun to feed him a mouthful. But the frightened male stared at him in disbelieve and Kai needed to take action before Baekhyun and Chanyeol notice. 

Kai eyed the plate and signalled Sehun by tilting his chin at the food. Snapping out of his daze that consisted of very detailed and gruesome ways Kai would slaughter him in this family diner at 7 A.M. on a weekday, Sehun grabbed his fork and stabbed his spongy pancake and shoved it ungracefully in Kai’s mouth like his life depended on it. Which it technically did in his opinion — His love life, that is. 

“You guys are really in that loved-up stage, huh?” Baekhyun grinned. “I remember when I was foolish enough to think love is like that 24/7.” 

“Mmm,” Kai answered unintelligently, wiping the runny syrup down his chin trying to not spit out the food in his mouth, he didn’t want to be tempted. 

“Can’t you guys just go away?” Sehun sighed. 

“Sehun I wanna bite too,” Chanyeol pointed at his open mouth leaning forward as well. “Aaah.” 

“This is going splendid.” Baekhyun clapped his hands, unbothered by the fact that the fake couple were slowly losing their mind as well as their patience. “Me and Chanyeol are going to ask you some rapid-fire questions, you need to answer them quickly. Understood?” 

“No,” Kai replied immediately grabbing his phone for the nth time since it kept on beeping notifications. 

“Baekhyun I don’t appreciate you interrogating my boyfriend like this.” Sehun tried to sound stern but he looked like a tough kitten that didn’t want to be petted. 

“What do you mean no,” Baekhyun pressed his lips eyeing Kai who is absorbed in his phone. 

“I’m sure he’s joking, Baek,” Chanyeol assured reaching over for Kai’s black coffee but the tan male was faster swiping it away from his reach without looking up from his phone. 

“Clearly his manners aren’t to—“ 

“You need to lighten up man, I was joking.” Kai cut him off, placing his phone on the table. “Ask away.”

Sehun’s eyes widened at the challenge because he and Kai did not discuss their artificial relationship in depth. When he let him meet his brother, he was prepared since Suho’s questions were more subtle and mature. Sehun doesn’t know what kind of nonsense his roommates could spew out and it Kai’s answers could differ from his about their current status. 

“No, don’t ask away.” Sehun threatened trying to sound as serious and menacing as possible but the spoon he was pointing with dropped the ice-cream into the plate with a plop causing everyone to look away unaffected. 

“You need to answer truthfully, okay?” 

“Kai, please don’t.” Sehun pleaded but the latter gave him a crooked smile. 

“It’s just a game Sehun, fuck man.” Baekhyun huffed losing his patience with this love-guru facade he is doing. “I need to know if he’s a decent guy or not.” 

“I’ll do fine sweets, don’t worry.” Kai’s smile infuriated Sehun even further because it’s his love life on the line as well as his reputation. If Kai doesn’t do well and outs them, then he can simply disappear back into his old life forgetting about Sehun. Unlike Sehun who in his mind, will be a laughing stock around his entire family and his (very small) group of friends for the next 10 years. 

Kai’s phone buzzed notifying yet another message but this time he ignored it and focused on Baekhyun. “Go on, I’m waiting.” 

Chanyeol and Baekhyun glanced at each other trying to become one in their minds, with one nod their rapid-fire questions were ready. Chanyeol turned fully to the side so he can face Kai and squared his shoulder’s to show professionalism about this ridiculous situation. 

“Are you a lover or a fighter?” Baekhyun began. 

“Oh my god, are you serious right now?” Sehun groaned facepalming. 

“What do you take me for? Lover.” Sehun looked away when Kai sent a wink his way. 

“Cookie dough or cookies?” Chanyeol inquired seriously.  
“Cookie dough.” 

“He’s a risk taker. I like that.” Chanyeol concluded with a nod of approval. 

“Describe Sehun in 3 words, go!” Baekhyun snapped his fingers. 

Secretly interested Sehun tries to act nonchalant playing with his food, glancing at Kai every few seconds. 

“The warm sun.” 

Kai saw the surprise register on Sehun’s face before he could hide it. A small smile played on Kai’s lips, breaking eye contact with his fake boyfriend and focused on Baekhyun and nodded for him to continue. Sehun’s eyes travel to the glass window to calm himself down from what he heard, his stomach is making backflips and he isn’t sure if it’s a good thing or not. 

“What fruit would you be?” Chanyeol raised a brow. “I personally would be an orange.“

“Chanyeol what the hell?”  
“What?” 

“Banana,” Kai answered getting a fist pump from Chanyeol. 

“What would be your weapon of choice in a zombie apocalypse?”  
“A rifle.” 

Baekhyun leaned in with narrowed eyes. “If a movie was made about your life, what would the title be?” 

“What does that have to do with our relationship-“  
“Kai. I would call my movie, Kai.” 

Baekhyun leaned back acting like some type of detective analysing the outcome. “Mm. Very narcissistic.”  
“Or empowering!” Chanyeol countered giving Kai a thumbs up. “I’d buy it.” 

“Do you sleep with socks or without?”  
“Without.” 

“Do you call your muscles ‘guns’?” Baekhyun cringed by the thought watching Kai tilt his head to the side.  
“I..I don’t think so,” Kai pondered turning to Sehun. “Do I call them guns, sweets?” 

Sehun sinks further into the chair and shakes his head solely a pout evident. Everything was going spectacularly well and he wanted them to now stop with the random questionnaire that will somehow determine his bond with Kai. He wanted to stop this before Kai’s acting will crack through since Baekhyun is very observant, like some type of hawk that will nourish you back to health and then attack you. 

“Nachos. What would you put on yours?” Chanyeol said suddenly serious-faced.

Kai’s eyes darted around the table with all three males focusing on him with such intensity that Kai knew this was the million dollar question. He needed to answer this wisely to be accepted by Baekhyun and Chanyeol for the sake of Sehun. 

“Cheese, refried beans, jalapeños, salsa, sour cream and,” He pauses for a dramatic effect successfully making everyone hold their breath unconsciously. “Guacamole.” 

“Hell yeah!” Chanyeol whooped in delight clapping his hands like Kai had won the national football cup attracting looks from the other costumers. 

Sehun couldn’t help but chuckle by Chanyeol’s reaction, even Baekhyun looked impressed by Kai’s choices leaning back with loosely crossed arms. Kai’s phone rings again and it’s irritating Kai to no end but he endures it for the sake of finishing up with the guys. 

“Another very crucial question,” Baekhyun signals the lost waitress with his cheese omelette over. “Are you superstitious?” 

Kai glances at his phone that is vibrating from the ringing and he ignores it and flashes a charming smile. 

“I’m looking at an angel right now,” Kai smirked at Sehun’s flustered state who kept on aggressively sipping the straw of his water cup trying to avoid eye contact with everyone on the table. 

“One cheese omelette?” The waitress interrupted placing the order in front of Baekhyun. 

“We are sharing,” Chanyeol demanded holding onto a fork ready to attack the eggs. “Bring it closer, Baek.” 

Baekhyun complies because Chanyeol’s been a very good Watson in his Sherlock Holmes investigation, Kai’s phone rings again and it’s turning into a bothersome issue and everyone is aware of the ignored phone from the beginning like some type of elephant in the room. 

“Are you gonna answer your phone? It’s been ringing for a while now.” Baekhyun nodded at the device. 

“Yeah.” Kai’s tone is clipped, already standing up with the receiver on his ear.

Sehun’s gaze followed Kai’s frame walking away from the table to talk privately. He knew the call was unwanted since Kai kept on disregarding the phone-calls, it made Sehun wonder who made Kai so tense, so very quickly. Too fixed on Kai, Sehun didn’t know there was a hushed argument going on between his friends. 

‘I said, did you see his phone?’ Baekhyun hissed and actually growled when Chanyeol stared at him dumbfounded. 

“Chanyeol, the phone,” Baekhyun gave up mouthing to his friend since Chanyeol obviously could not lip-read which Baekhyun found ridiculous because they were only centimetres apart, and decided to mime with his phone. 

“What? You want my phone? It’s only got 12% and I kinda need it for-“ Chanyeol freezes when Baekhyun slams both palms on the table startling not only Chanyeol but also Sehun. 

“Chanyeol! Did you see his fucking phone? The fucking caller ID? I swear to god how hard was it for you to actually understand that! Fuck.” Baekhyun snapped chugging down Sehun’s water to cool down. 

Sehun and Chanyeol exchanged glances and neither wanted to further anger a ticked-off Baekhyun, especially so early in the morning. And just like that Sehun remembered. 

“Oh, nuggets! I have class in like an hour.” 

“Cant you skip it? Breakfast dates are fun.” Chanyeol’s puppy eyes were working especially with Chanyeol’s bed-hair made the lank boy more precious. 

“But it’s important..” Sehun said helplessly forming a pout of his own. 

Kai sits beside Chanyeol abruptly, staring at Sehun with pursed lips, both talking at the same time. 

“Kai I actually-“  
“Listen I need-“ 

The fake couple both quiet down again but Kai’s mood was spoiled and he didn’t want to continue pretending anymore, he was sore and sleepy. 

“You go first.” Sehun smiled it was awkward but genuine, and Kai did with a roll of eyes. 

“ I need to leave, like right now.” 

“I also need to leave since I have a morning class around 8..” Sehun trailed off confused by Kai’s change of demeanour. 

“I'll drop you off at your university then,” Kai concludes zipping up his jacket. 

“I need to go back home to get my stuff first.” 

Kai can’t waste any more time with Sehun today, he can feel the bubbles of rage underneath his skin boil. With gritted teeth Kai answers. “I’ll walk you home at least, hurry up.” 

Sehun stumbles out of his chair as Kai clasps his hand over Sehun’s dainty wrist tugging him in a hasty manner trying to ignore the dull pain shooting up his thigh. 

Chanyeol pulls Sehun’s pancakes in front of him already shoving a mouthful in delight. 

“Sons of bitches,” Baekhyun muttered darkly. “They didn’t pay for their food!” 

Unbothered by the unpredictable outcome Chanyeol shakes his head in fake disappointment and replies with a mouthful of pancake. “They scammed us.” 

Outside in the freezing cold, Sehun pulls himself free form Kai’s tight grip, causing the pink-head to also stop and stick out his hand instead. Sehun naively holds Kai’s hand thinking the latter hadn’t meant to cause discomfort by holding his wrist. But Sehun was proven wrong when Kai shakes him off with a huff. 

“Give me money.” 

Sehun frowned taking a step back. “I told you..I’m not paying you an extra 100.” 

Kai’s phone rings again and that’s when he explodes. 

“I need money for the fucking bus, asswipe! After everything you made me do today the least thing you can fucking give me is bus money since I left my place in a hurry thinking your stupid-ass was in an actual crisis, not some stupid detective game with your friends.” 

Sehun bites his bottom lip hard feeling foolish again to have such thoughts in his mind even though he knew the truth, he thought maybe Kai was warming up to him as a friend but he is obviously mistaken. So silently Sehun pulls out his wallet and hands over enough for the bus fare. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were this annoyed… not that I blame you.” Sehun apologised timidly under Kai’s dark glower. 

“Don’t fucking call me unless it an emergency, I don’t have time to play boyfriend every second of the day for your roommates' weird games. I have a life and a job outside of this fake relationship, sweetheart.” Kai mocked snatching the money from Sehun’s palm. 

“I’m sorry,” Sehun looked at his shoes, holding his hands together. “Baekhyun got dumped recently, so I agreed because I thought it might cheer him up if he thinks he can make us more loved up and he isn’t that we-“ 

“I don’t care because it’s none of my business.” Kai cuts him off effectively. “Don’t call me unless it’s actually important.” 

With that Sehun stands outside in the bustling cold street as crowds of men and woman push through him to get to their jobs, watching Kai run off to find a bus stop. 

☾~~~~~☽

Jongdae has been stalking his ex-boyfriend for the past few days to memorise his new routes because ever since the pair broke up Baekhyun no longer took his normal paths around campus instead he would rather walk the extra half-mile than see Jongdae’s face across the hallway. Jongdae isn’t exactly feeling prideful of his creeping, but he needed to do this since nobody was willing to help him out further at his pursue with his love-life. 

Jongdae walked further in the college library, unconsciously smiling at the sight of Baekhyun standing by the ‘classics’ section with his black-rimmed glasses on the bridge of his nose as he read intently. Jongdae always found it endearing, the way Baekhyun would scrunch up his nose when he was stuck or confused at a particular passage. 

“Here goes nothing,” Jongdae muttered to himself walking towards his ex-lover while continuing on his mental pep talk over this very moment he’s been preparing for the past couple of days.

Baekhyun sensed someone near him, thinking it was another advocate reader of this section he shuffled sideways and flashed them a smile until he realised who it was. His smile slipped off his face replaced with several emotions starting from horror and ending with loathing. 

“Sup Byun Baek.” Jongdae covering his mouth the moment those words were loose, he couldn’t believe what he spoke out loud. 

“Fuck you.” Baekhyun hissed his voice laced with venom, slapping his book shut one-handedly. 

“Well I wish you would, if you don’t mind—Baekhyun oh my world,” Jongdae stared dumbly at Baekhyun’s retreating back absolutely horrified by his word selection. “That came out wrong! I do want it but I don’t mean now—“

“Shut up!” Baekhyun snapped, but Jongdae rushed into action, literally, by running across the isle like some sort of fitness manic, successfully blocking Baekhyun from the only exit and entrance of the ‘classics’ isle. 

“Hear me out Baek,” Jongdae lifted his palms in an act of surrender, Baekhyun’s grip on the spine of the thick hardcover tightened. “Please?” 

“No.” 

“Listen, Baek—“  
“Don’t call me that! How many times have I fucking told you?” 

“Right, okay,” Jongdae said warily, slightly taken back by his ex-boyfriend’s hostility not because it’s new him but he didn’t plan out any further steps, he didn’t even think Baekhyun was actually going to stop and listen to him. He was truly surprised by the new lead in his scheme. 

“I just want to apologise and say we could start fresh again, maybe ev—“ Maybe not Jongdae concluded, as Baekhyun proceeded to smack him across his head with the dense novel several times until Jongdae actually grabbed the book to stop the soon-to-be beating, Baekhyun glared at him so ominously and yanked his book back. 

“I told you numerous times you incompetent fuck that I don’t want to see your face near me ever again or I’ll fucking hurt you. Obviously, you don’t understand instructions well, because people like you are the reason this country has to put directions on a shampoo!” Baekhyun angry-whispered getting more and more heated by each word. 

Jongdae just stood there taking in what Baekhyun said, unsure of what reaction to give since it was undeniably hot for Baekhyun be angry especially with his black-rimmed glasses on or hurt by being called a big idiot, he even considered laughing because of Baekhyun’s irked whispers. 

“Well shit.”

Baekhyun ran his hand through his dark hair out of frustration, tugging at his roots to remain calm and not fully scream and harm Jongdae physically because if he does so he’ll get kicked out of the library for several weeks and may even get on the blacklist of the librarian. 

“Jongdae,” Baekhyun grunted taking in a deep breath with his book - Moby Dick - still raised in self-defence as soft, loose strands of his hair fall on his forehead unplanned. “You need to leave me the fuck alone before I actually beat you into a flatfish so I can slice you up and serve you as soup for an old rich man to eat and then shit out lat—“ 

“I just have to…you have to stop for a minute, cause its a lot visually to take in.” Jongdae blurred out stunned by Baekhyun’s glowing beauty at this moment, even with the library’s awful lighting. 

Baekhyun’s cheeks reddened by the compliment and somewhat announcement. He remained himself what Jongdae had done to him and thus lead to Baekhyun opening his mouth in outrage but Jongdae took a step back his palms still showing surrender and continued. “No, really it’s a lot to visually take in.” 

Jongdae watched Baekhyun watch him, like two predators analysing the other’s next move. But to Jongdae he was simply too enchanted by Baekhyun’s beauty in his most mundane appearance; with a bare face covered by black-rimmed glasses instead of contacts, an oversized hoodie that has the sleeves bunched around his wrist and his fluffy mess of jet-black strands. 

“Okay, I’m sorry, I needed to regroup.” Jongdae cleared up, eventually snapping out of his staring.

“Get out of my way before I punch you in the throat.”

“Baek, I get that you are angry which I don’t blam—“ Jongdae never finished that sentence because he felt all of the oxygen in his body get knocked out as he toppled on the floor like a wounded warrior clutching on his throat for dear life since Baekhyun very precisely and vigorously punched his ex in the oesophagus. 

“Asshole.” Baekhyun scoffed readjusting his book bag already leaving the crime scene like he isn’t the prime suspect. “I told you I’ll punch you in the damn throat.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment, I would absolutely love your feedback.


	8. Sunflower

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE PLEASE COMMENT. 
> 
> I would really appreciate it, it makes me happy.

Kai zips up his flimsy hoodie to protect him from the chilly cold air of the night. He just got off work with a throbbing headache and an empty stomach, he just wanted to sleep truth be told but that was never an easy task. Pulling out his phone he scrolls through his contacts his finger pause from their fidgeting when a voice calls out for him.

Turning around Kai groans in annoyance by the presence of the man standing a few meters away. Ignoring the man shouting at him, Kai keeps walking unbothered. The mystery man yanks Kai’s arm out of his trance, causing Kai to hiss in shock. 

“Can you just listen to me?” The man utters but Kai didn’t want to continue this conversation. 

“Leave me alone.” Kai snaps pulling his wrist free and marching away, wanting to close his eyes and drift. 

“Give me a chance!” 

Kai is done, he is sick and tired of always being played and tugged in games and sequences. Turning around he fully glares at the middle-aged man. “Listen pops, I already told you no several times throughout the night in the club.” 

Kai wanted to let off some steam and dance his heart out and drink away his problems just like any other person in the club, and a few men and women flirted with him and he let them since it was all a facade, nothing serious went on. It was all banter, but that stopped the moment this man has kept on following him from the club until now. 

Unfortunately, the man doesn’t understand the concept of rejection, because he immediately invades Kai’s personal space leaning in, lips ghosting around his ear to whisper. 

“I’ve got a private condo..” 

“I don’t even know you.” Kai pushes his away with a scowl of disgust and rushes to escape from the clingy stranger. 

What makes his freeze in his steps in the middle of the pavement is the man shouting at him, since talking hadn’t worked out. 

“That never stopped you before!” 

Kai stares at the stranger with exhaustion and outrage, but the man continues unbothered. 

“I see you in the club, you’re always there flirting… trying to get fucked!” 

“It’s none of your fucking business who I sleep with, you fucking creep!” Kai snarled from across the sidewalk, not giving strangers walking past him a second glance. He’s too blinded by red rage at this point. “Do you think I’ll actually like you if you keep on waiting for me to leave the club every other night, like some stalker? You’re a fucking joke!” 

The look of shame on the elder man’s face gives Kai the capacity to breathe again knowing he hurt the man. With that, Jongin wraps his arms around himself tightly and storms off letting the cold air nip at his makeup-caked face. 

It takes less than a minute for the man to run next to Kai, acting like their earlier yelling hadn’t occurred. At this point Kai simply doesn’t have the energy, his body aches; he needs to sleep and eat because he skipped his meals yet again. 

“Fine, I get it but how about dinner?” The man is still adamant and Kai isn’t. “We can get to know each other, the night is still young.”

Kai doesn’t reply, he’s too focused on trying to block out the noises of the city with the cars skidding, people laughing, dogs barking, lights flickering. It’s all getting too much for him, his head is pounding so hard it’s causing pressure in his eyes as he spots black dots. It’s not the first time, and most certainly won’t be the last. 

“I’ll take you to a proper dinner right now,” The man bribes, bumping shoulders with Kai who stumbles sideways by the soft contact. “ Full expense paid, even the dessert.” 

Kai pulls out his phone, scrolling through his contacts again with apprehensiveness. If he calls someone he’s bound to stay up late and frankly, he just needs to get back to bed but it’s far too long of a walk and his body is heavy now. 

“Come on, you know you want to.” The man accuses with a cheerful laugh. 

Kai focuses on not stepping on the cracks of the sidewalk, he knows he doesn’t want to go with this random man. The same random man that has been eyeing him for the past three days at the nightclub he goes to where he’s trying to let some steam off and have fun. 

“You’ll pay?” Kai asks quietly. 

The man had a strange smile as he wraps his arm around Kai’s sharp shoulders. “I’ll pay baby.” 

Kai closes his eyes briefly trying to gather any remaining strength he has left to glare at the man, even though his vision is filled with specks of black dots and shrugs the man’s arm off him roughly. 

“I want spaghetti. And don’t call me baby.” 

 

(_——————_) 

The four roommates had just demolished dinner since Kyungsoo made it. After the last incident, Sehun is off kitchen duties for a while, until he upgrades from instant ramen and salty-soups. Everybody’s stomach was warm and their hearts warmer. Just having a quiet meal together as close friends without any interruptions or a missing person is a golden hour to them. 

All but one for the evening. Sehun wasn’t feeling the emotional sentimental’s of autumn, instead, his mind was preoccupied with other things. Specifically, things that go by the name of Kai. Sehun couldn’t help it, the fake boyfriend intrigued him causing a small spark in him to light up, something that he hasn’t felt in a long time. Kai was a mystery to Sehun, and he wasn’t sure if he wanted to figure him out, he was scared of getting attached even though they will be strangers soon. 

“I’ll get the grand finale!” Chanyeol boasted standing up hurriedly, to show everyone his mystery dessert that he’s been slaving over for a few hours. 

Kyungsoo stares at Sehun, he knows the younger one hasn’t been fully engaged with them the past few days and even now. It’s causing him to worry, so deciding to take pity on the latter. 

“What’s the matter?” Kyungsoo touches Sehun’s shoulder watching the other flinch by the touch, breaking him from his stance. “You seem down the past couple of days.” 

Sehun replies with a tired smile and a shrug. “I’m not too sure, Kyungie..” 

But that was a lie, Sehun knew the source of the current state of his inattentiveness and lack of social interaction. And he was absolutely certain he won’t share that piece of information to anybody. 

Sehun felt immense guilt when Kai and himself fought during their spontaneous breakfast date, he should have considered the other’s feelings and not use him like a doll without a care of the latter’s situation and other affairs Kai needed to finish. He is stuck on ideas of how to make it up to Kai because it’s been 2 days since their last contact. 

“Is this about Kai?’ Kyungsoo asked again, always the observer. “Did you guys have a fight?” 

Baekhyun who has been silent throughout this exchange scans Sehun with an unreadable expression as Sehun shakes his head. 

“No, I’m just stressed about university I suppose—“ 

“You’re feeling thoughtful.” Baekhyun cut him off, his voice soft. 

Sehun blinks in confusion, glancing at Kyungsoo who was staring at Baekhyun. “Pardon?” 

“I said, you’re feeling thoughtful,” Baekhyun repeated, resting his cheek in his palm lazily. 

Chanyeol enters holding a glass pan filled to the brim, placing it in the centre of the table a large grin on his features. “Three words,”

“Kit. Kat. Lasagne.” 

Kyungsoo stares at the gooey goodness of melted marshmallows, with drowning m&ms and sprinkled biscuits and chocolate chips, all layered by chocolate covered Kit-kat fingers. 

“One word,” Kyungsoo looks up at a bright-eyed Chanyeol. “Diabetes.” 

 

(_——————_) 

The room is dark. The curtains are drawn in a vain attempt to filter the yellow glow of the streetlights illuminating the street outside. Kai is wide awake, cold and weary. He’s unable to move, his bare legs are outstretched on the lousy double bed. There’s a dip to his side, as he turns to watch the naked man next to him, covered in the warm duvet of the motel room. So much for a private condo, Kai thought. 

Nights like this are usually long and all Kai wants to do is fall into a dreamless sleep but he knows that isn’t going to happen tonight, like many other sleepless nights. His hips and backache, especially with the cold air causing his joints to stiffen. A dull pain. He doesn’t want to share the duvet, he’d rather freeze than share with the elder man beside him. 

Kai lets his mind wander, deep down in his muddled thoughts, incomplete scenarios and ‘what if’s’. 

It’s 2:03 A.M. and he’s still trying to figure out how everything went wrong so fast. He remembers when he arrived in Seoul and how frightening everything was, and he remembers when he numbed himself and his feelings on that very first night. 

It’s 3:19 A.M. and he remembers Sehun. The way he cried when Kai acted out an allergy attack, and how pure his soul is. He remembers Sehun’s excited expression when they were watching the soap opera as he explained to Kai everything. It makes Kai think if he was at some point like that before everything went shit. 

It’s 4:55 A.M. and he feels the pain in his chest, unsure if it’s heartburn or the emptiness coming back. 

His phone buzzes filling the silence. In an abrupt manner, Kai semi-leaps out of the bed, and grabs his skinny jeans from the floor, pulling out his phone with the impression that it might be Sehun since the latter hadn’t called or texted him for a few days. He doesn’t want to admit it, let alone out loud, but ever since Sehun entered his life he brought to the table so many different emotions and not necessarily all good either, but it made Kai feel something. 

Kai catches himself at the very last minute, he is actually disappointed that the caller isn’t his fake boyfriend. Instead, he pressed the green answer button and let’s the familiar husky voice speak. It’s always the same routine, just different timing. Kai is always free, his work is flexible if he had the decision he wouldn’t mind a regular 9 to 5 job with repetitive tasks. He wouldn’t mind anything but this. 

He’s wanted; work never stops for him. With a final look at the specks of the city light on the wall across from him, Kai stands up and wobbles. He dresses with care knowing his night will turn into day without a glimpse of rest. Picking up his backpack Kai semi-limps out of the cheap motel room leaving behind the spare spaghetti takeout but not the cash in the old man’s wallet. 

(_——————_)

Sehun was running. He hated running, let alone physical activities. But here he was, sprinting across the pavement holding a single, large sunflower in his hand; like a rugby player with the ball trying to get to the finish line before the bell rings. 

What he hated more than running, and this was a very intense decision when he ranked the things he detested was sudden dates. He hated last minute things because he was a planner, a very good one at that. 

Unfortunately, he didn’t plan that life would screw him over at 2 P.M. on a Tuesday, while he was walking to the library to study and he gets a call from his soon-to-be bedewed brother that he can give Kai’s cat a free check-up since the clinic isn’t too hectic with no room for argument. 

Sehun naturally began to hyperventilate in the middle of the sidewalk, as people walked around the squatted man in desperate. After his mini-malfunction, he ran with the only destination is his apartment, shouting at Kai through the phone to meet him there. 

“I’m going to die, oh god!” Sehun shrieked when he stared at the broken elevator sign, it was fine this morning. 

Sehun held the sunflower high in the air as if it’s the Olympic torch, pushing open the door to the stairs and leaps into action thinking he’s some type of ninja takes the stairs 2 at a time, but in reality that only lasts the first floor because after that Sehun looked like an unskillful toddler trying to get past each hurdle. 

He glanced at his watch and whined in distress he only had 18 minutes left; to change his clothes, wait for Kai and go to his brother’s clinic without having General Kitty McMittens and his fake boyfriend kill each other somehow. 

He arrived on the 4th level, a little embarrassed that he is so unfit by the sound of his own heavy breathing and slacked posture. “It’s not the time to dwell on gym class periods in high school! You need to focus, you are a flying squirrel — fast and small!” 

Sehun’s mini self-motivating speech gave him the determination to sprint across the hallway to find his apartment door. It wasn’t a long distance, not at all, but to Sehun this was like climbing Mount. Everest. 

His sprint didn’t last long, he ended up speed walking, he stared at his feet as he did so, to not trip himself up. He didn’t, instead, he bumped into someone’s chest. Looking up to apologise Sehun lets out a gasp when he stares at an amused Kai. 

“Fast and small, eh?” Kai said after a beat of silence, trying to cut the atmosphere. 

Since their last encounter was an ugly one, both males felt awkward with one another. 

Kai has such dark rings under his eyes that he could be mistaken for a panda, his orbs were laced in red from lack of sleep, Sehun assumed. At least his pink hair was freshly washed and in its natural unruly state. 

“I didn’t know you would, um, get here so, uh, fast,” Sehun said smoothly.

“And what? Miss the amazing flying squirrel by the name of Sehun?” Kai snorted, leaning against the door frame of the apartment. 

Sehun’s face was heating up and he knew it, looking down to cover his fluster he thrusts at Kai the single sunflower. Kai blinks taking the flower cautiously as if it’s some ticking time bomb. “Why are you giving me a sunflower?” 

“I’m sorry I called you that night at dawn and forced you to come to the park, and I’m sorry I laughed when you got scared by the dogs. I didn’t mean to cause harm, it’s just Baekhyun is a really sensitive case right now, and I thought I would help him out but I didn’t think it through and how you would feel about the whole thing. So, I’m sorry.” Sehun explained hurriedly, forcing himself to look at Kai’s stunning face, knowing his own was beetroot red by now. 

“It’s fine, I was a bitch.” Kai shrugged honestly. “I almost didn’t mind it — almost.” 

Sehun nodded his head once and pulled out his keys unlocking the door. 

“And I’m sorry I called you so suddenly, but Suho wanted to see the cat and you, I guess, and he wasn’t—“ Sehun gets cut off. 

“Relax, baby boy.” Kai entered the home as if it was his own. “It’s okay, I was free anyway.” 

“O-Okay.” Sehun blurred out, staring at Kai who was engrossed with the sunflower twirling it delicately around his fingertips. Kai looked so soft, with his damp hair and parted lips analysing the flower in fascination. 

Sehun snapped himself out of his thoughts and checked his watch. 15 minutes. “I need to change and get General Kitty McMittens, so wait here!” 

Sehun rushed to his room, only to pause when Kai called him. “What?” 

“I said why a sunflower?” 

Sehun turned around with furrowed brows. “It’s an apology, because—“ 

“Yeah, yeah, I get that,” Kai cut him off again. “But why a sunflower?” 

Sehun looks at Kai’s face void of any annoyance and frustration instead he sees how childlike Kai was behaving. “It stood out to me among the other flowers, like you. You stand tall and unmoved like a sunflower.” 

Kai’s gaze drifted back to the sunflower in his hand as Sehun’s unfiltered mouth couldn’t let him have his peace, because he blurs out also. “I was going to buy roses as well because they seemed to suit you too but they were a little, no actually, a lot out of my budget so I took one sunflower instead because it’s um…I’m going to go now. Okay. Bye. Not really. Just going to, um, change.” 

Sehun escapes to his bedroom to stop himself from digging a deeper hole. Kai sat down on the sofa and kept on twirling the sunflower with a peaceful expression not smiling not scowling instead he stared at it in deep thought. 

(_————_)

“Act natural okay? Au naturel.” Sehun begged Kai as they get guided into his older brother’s room by the receptionist. 

Kai pursed his lips, unimpressed by the unnecessary comment. 

“If anyone should act ‘au naturel’ it’s you,” Kai prodding the back Sehun’s shoulder. “I told you to not wear a suit, it’s a pet shop, not the Gala.” 

Sehun glanced at his formal suit and tie, feeling the tip of his ears redden. 

“I panicked. I was frazzled, and you didn’t help by mocking everything I wore when I showed you.” Sehun whisper-yelled and fake smiled when the receptionist glanced at the strange duo. 

Kai who was currently carrying General Kitty McMittens’s carrier hit Sehun’s lower thigh with it as revenge. “You dress either like an 8-year-old boy or an 88-year-old grandpa!” 

“Excuse me?” Sehun gaped, fully offended. 

“At least I don’t dress like the grim reaper every day. This is the only appropriate thing I wore after you peer-pressured me out of my hand-knitted maroon turtleneck! and who are you to give tips on fashion? Your hair is the same colour as unicorn poop!  
Plus, you look like a person who runs an NSFW croissant blog. 

I think the least of your concerns should be my fashion sense, because as you know I am not rich, like ‘fill my gas tank all the way up’ rich! This suit is second-hand, and I have given you some of my life savings, so do your job of saving my non-existent love life!” Sehun ended his rant, he needed to let loose all of the built-up stress from this morning and Kai was the target and somewhat at fault. 

Kai fully stopped, placing the cat carrier on the carpeted floor to bend over in laughter. His laugh didn’t build up softly but exploded as good as TNT, filling the vacant corridor and spilling into the golden rays of the afternoon. 

“Shit! My NSFW croissant account has been exposed!” 

Sehun couldn’t help but join in. All the stress and anxiety of the past few days evaporated into thin air. Sehun didn’t know why it was so ridiculously funny to both of them, but in that single moment, the struggles of life did not matter to either one. 

“My clients seem very happy,” Junmyeon stepped out of his room grinning, from how joyous the youngsters sounded. “What’s so funny?” 

Kai wraps his arm around Sehun’s shoulder pulling him close, with a genuine smile. “Croissants.” 

Sehun allows himself to relax under Kai’s touch, telling himself that it was okay and that his self-esteem will allow him to play this fake imagination, just this once. 

Junmyeon picks up the cat carrier from the ground and enter’s his room gesturing to the couple to enter before him. Kai’s eyes wander around the room that has a metal table in the centre of it all, letting out a shiver. He could never be a vet, he hated animals. They were a waste of money and a waste of time. 

Kai snaps out of his internal monologue of pet-hate when Junmyeon placed the carrier on the table, as the elder shuffles around to get his equipment. 

“Kai, could you get the cat out please?” Junmyeon asked with his back turned, writing something. 

Kai glances at Sehun who gives him a sheepish smile, watching the rose-head open the door as the ugly feline hisses at him instantaneously. Kai held himself from hissing right back for the sake of his pride. Sticking his hand into the plastic carrier he grabs General Kitty McMitten’s neck peeking at Junmyeon’s whereabouts and pulls out the cat without grace instead some force. 

“Ah fuck!” Kai yelps holding his palm to his chest, glaring openly at the ginger cat, that isn’t backing down from the staring contest. 

Sehun visibly freezes when Kai leans towards the aggressive cat as if it’s a human who’ll understand what is going on. 

“You better cut this bullshit real soon, just because you missed death once doesn’t mean you’re the shit, and it sure as hell doesn’t mean you can fucking bite me like some smoked salmon you piece of—“ Kai pauses realising what he was doing. 

He was whisper-threatening an animal who doesn’t understand a word he’s saying. Kai blinks, he knew this was lack of sleep that causes him to do crazy things. In a comedic slow turn he looks up at the two brother’s who are watching him. One was bewildered while the other looked one word away from a nervous breakdown. 

Kai needed to save this, he knew what he needed to do. He was the king of lying, he was known for it. He was just that good, one of the bad things he excels at. 

“I was just giving him a pep-talk, y’ know to calm his nerves.” Kai chuckled raising his bitten palm for them to see. “So he doesn’t do this to you.”

Junmyeon nods in understanding, his gaze drifts towards the feline on the metal table. He was horrendous, absolutely ugly with a smashed nose, and an unattractive burnt-orange fur that is mixed with snotty-green toned eyes. 

“It’s, um, unique,” Junmyeon states politely, enchanted by the features of the cat. 

Kai surpasses his snort, side-eyeing his fake-boyfriend with a look that said ‘I told you so’ smirking but Sehun was too focused on the cat meowing. 

Junmyeon touches General Kitty McMitten’s back gently, only to have the feline lash out and snarled. “Kai since you’re the owner, could you hold him? so he could feel more at ease?” 

Kai stares at the veterinarian like some kind of moron who asked him to put his hands in a boiling pot of water to see if it’s hot. Kai would have preferred that predicament, to be near the dangerous wild cat. 

A beat of silence passes and Sehun is sweating bullets in his suit, trying his best to not freak out like the last encounter. Kai nods hesitantly once and moves towards the table at an arm's length he tries to hold the cat but that didn’t go right. If anything it went left, by the sudden turn of events. 

Because the overweight General Kitty McMitten’s actually leapt to jump at Kai with his teeth in full view intent on hurting Kai. The rose-head, genuinely feared for his life shrieked, losing his footing as his back hits Sehun’s broad chest. 

“You fu—“ Kai stops himself in time, holding onto Sehun’s wrist to balance himself from his near-death experience and flashes Junmyeon a canny smile and a thumbs up. “You fabulous, fabulous cat!” 

Sehun’s heart was beating so fast that he was sure he might have been a hybrid; half human and half chick. Sehun wasn’t sure what was causing his blood pressure to rise, it could be Kai’s ass grazing his crotch or Kai’s cold palm around his bony wrist or his brother’s knowing smile. 

“I don’t like seeing my cat in pain, you see. It makes me jumpy and overly sensitive,” Kai’s voice is smooth and stable. “General Kitty McMitten is very dear to my heart, as my own child. Sorry for seeing this side of me.” 

“I understand fully, no need for any apologies. We’re family after all, aren’t we?” Junmyeon joked, readjusting his gloves. 

Kai pulls Sehun from behind him and pushes him in front. “Sehun will hold him, I just can’t. It’s…” Kai pauses for a dramatic effect. “very difficult for me.” 

Sehun’s eyes widen at the betrayal feeling like a sacrifice getting thrown into the middle of a volcano to help keep the peace of the world by being eaten by the thunder gods, like one of his recent novels he’s been reading. 

“Sure..” Sehun reaches out for General Kitty McMitten who instantly leans to Sehun’s touch, rubbing his face all over Sehun’s palm. 

Junmyeon simply laughs and starts to check the calm cat’s health, as Kai scowls by the sight of the cat and Sehun’s sickly sweet interaction. “Fat fur ball..” 

“Mm?” Junmyeon looks at Kai preoccupied, checking General Kitty McMitten’s ears. 

Kai’s scowl turned upside down into the most artificial smile. “I said, even General Kitty McMitten fell for Sehun’s charms.” 

(—————)

“The cafe is at walking distance, don’t worry.” Junmyeon chuckled gesturing at the pavement ahead of them as the trio cross the street. 

Sehun can’t understand how this is going well because Kai looks like a baby panda but is into punk rock and he himself, looks like an announcer at some sports event. It’s not supposed to go this smoothly to the point that his older brother volunteers to wash and trim General Kitty McMittens, while the trio head out to eat lunch with Lay. 

“You never said.” Junmyeon nudged his brother who snapped his neck towards the latter’s direction. 

“Said what?” Sehun furrowed his brows in alarm. Did he blur something again during his black-out-no-filter-from-brain-to-mouth-attacks. 

“Why are you wearing a suit?” 

It was like the worst million dollar question someone could ever ask Sehun. He was never good with indirect confrontation, let alone direct. Kai slipped his hand into Sehun’s sweaty ones, unbothered closing the small distance between them. 

“I, um…you see,” Sehun laughed it was too loud, too sudden and too forced. “I am wearing this suit because I had a thing this morning. Yes, a thing.” 

“A thing?” Junmyeon echoed. 

Kai slapped his palm over his mouth trying to mute his sniggering. He could feel Sehun’s grip tighten around his hand, scanning his fake boyfriend it was clear that the boy was wan, more than usual. It was pitiful, that the boy could barely say two words in before having an internal meltdown. 

“Oh yeah, his job interview.” Kai injected casually, swinging their intertwined fingers softly. “We call it a thing, just so, y’ know, we don’t jinx it or anything.” 

Junmyeon seemed genuinely surprised. “What? You didn’t tell me you wanted to work.” 

Kai opened his mouth to spew out more dishonesty, but before he could speak Sehun beats him to it. 

“I don’t have to tell you every little thing I do,” Sehun frowned. “Just cause you are better than me in basically everything, doesn’t mean you owe it to mum to help me out because I’m the naive one.” 

Sehun wasn’t sure what made him say it, but he meant it. Maybe he was sick and tired of always being treated like a moron who doesn’t know how to handle himself because of his past mistakes. Maybe he was tired of not being taken seriously. What he was sure of that is was one of those black-out-no-filter-from-brain-to-mouth-attacks.

“I didn’t mean it that way,” Suho explained sincerely patting his brother’s shoulder. “If the interview doesn’t work out, you can always work at the clinic part-time. You get work experience too.” 

“I’ll do what I want.” Sehun grumpy replied, looking the other way from Junmyeon only flinch at how close his and Kai’s faces are. Mischievously Kai pouts his lips towards Sehun, who dodges away ungracefully. 

“I didn’t pay you to mock me,” Sehun whispered at Kai weakly, knowing his ears were turning into a dark shade of rouge. 

“You don’t need to, you already do a great job at that alone.”  
“I literally couldn’t have picked a worse person to be my boyfriend.” 

“What in the world?” Junmyeon’s voice broke up their mini whisper spat, causing the pair to look at him speed walk towards Lay hugging a stranger in front of the cafe. 

In a hurry both Kai and Sehun follow in tow, watching the scene unfold as bystanders. 

“If you think cheatin—“ Junmyeon couldn’t get another word in because Lay embraced his arms around his fiancé’s neck, mashing their lips together passionately to the point of any ill feelings vanished. 

“Baby!” Lay greeted in delight, wrapping his arm around Junmyeon’s bicep. “You won’t believe what happened,” 

“This is Yifan, my best friend from China. The one I lost contact with, isn’t that crazy? How small is the world?” Lay laughed at the incident. 

Lay was running late to the lunch date, and just when he was about to rush into the cafe to not get scold about time management by his fiancé he bumps into Yifan. 

“Hello. Nice to meet you.” Yifan Shakes hands with Junmyeon politely. 

“Hi, nice to meet you too. I’m Junmyeon.”

The introductions were exchanged but the moment Yifan’s eyes land on Kai, the tall man freezes in surprise. Before he could open his mouth to speak, Kai who also seemed to be just as equally panic-stricken beats him to it. 

“Hey, I’m Kai! How are you?”

Kai forcefully takes Yifan’s stiff palm into his finally, letting go of Sehun’s; who looked at his bare hand in disappointment at the missing warmth momentarily forgetting where he was and how he should act in front of his brother. 

Yifan shakes Kai’s hand slowly, eyeing the pink-head. “I’m good…”

“I was just telling Yifan about coming to the wedding, we can put him with the close family and friends. That’s okay, right?” Lay questioned his spouse, knowing how much Junmyeon has become a bridezilla over their wedding. 

“Yes of course! I’ll send you a card to your address.” Junmyeon grinned, resting his head on Lay’s shoulder. 

“Fuck..”Kai muttered under his breath. 

“I would love to, thank you very much,” Yifan beamed taking the extended mobile from the engaged couple. “Here you go, I wrote my number as well. I would love to stay and chat but I’m running late.” 

“I’ll call you later tonight,” Lay stated waving at his friend who was backing away from the two couples with a grin of his own. 

“Congratulations!” Yifan hollering before fully turning away and jogging into the distance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please share your opinions and thoughts, I love hearing them. 
> 
> So, please do comment. :)


	9. Good Job

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sehun and Kai hang out at the market. 
> 
> Yifan and Kai's association is finally revealed.

“So let me get this straight,” Minseok declared, placing down the generous slice of coffee cake on the table beside the steaming mug of latte. “You just finished eating your lunch and on the way out of this brunch café you bump into an old friend, specifically your childhood best friend?” 

Yifan nods enthusiastically handing over his phone to his business partner. “Exactly! He even invited me to his wedding. That old dog, I didn’t think he does commitment let alone marriage.”

“I suppose that’s love for you. Does wonders to people.” Minseok scans the new contact with the name ‘Zhang Yixing’. “I’m glad you found each other though, it must have been a delight to reconnect after all these years.” 

“Tell me about it, I couldn’t believe what I was—“ Yifan stops staring past Minseok’s frame with a devious smirk on his lips. “Look what the cat dragged in.” 

Minseok knits his brows closer, slowly turning around only to see a fluff of pink hair marching it’s way over to them in the cafe. 

“Kai!” Minseok waved. 

“Weirdo is back.” Tao hollered from behind the counter. 

“You need to stay out of my way,” Kai stood in front of Yifan’s table which the elder man stood up from his place to show dominance over their height difference. “That means not going to the stupid wedding.” 

“You can’t be serious, I’m not going to miss my best friend’s wedding just because you asked, no, threatened me in my own shop.” Yifan mocked leisurely sitting back down and sipping his latte. 

With crossed arms, Kai doesn’t back down. “it’s not yours, it’s Minnie’s! He even lives above the coffee shop.” 

“Minseok and I are co-owners of this coffee shop. Which means that I own half of everything here,” Yifan wavered his hand around. “I deal with the financial things, while Minseok deals with the coffee shop itself.” 

Kai’s eyes were narrowed like knives ready to kill but instead of the pink-head doing something irrational like break a few display items, which had happened whenever he encounters Yifan in the coffee shop which is a rare occasion in itself, he moans in frustration. 

“Can you please not tell your friend about knowing me? Please?” Kai was letting down his pride just this once for the sake of the money, it would have been all a waste of time if everything came out now. 

Not only Yifan but also Minseok seemed surprised by Kai’s sudden manners, to the point that Yifan choked on his coffee cake with Minseok patting his back. 

“Not one ‘please’, but two? This must be my lucky day.” Yifan teased, after recovering from his almost death by over-consumption. 

“I hate you.” The youngster hissed. 

Yifan opened his mouth to continue on his taunting but one look from Minseok caused him to stop. Minseok was known as a friendly and gentle person who never gets angry, and Yifan doesn’t want to see the small man burning with fury any time soon either. 

“Fine, I’ll act like we’re total strangers.” 

“We are total strangers. We just know each other’s names, nothing else and nothing more.” Kai scoffed, it was true. Yifan didn’t know much about Kai because the boy was always disappearing but from the way, the boy acted it was certain that he wasn’t up to any good. Especially since their first encounter wasn’t all the chivalrous. 

“You still haven’t paid for the three glass cake display cases you broke,” Yifan muttered, shooing Kai away. 

Kai glares but doesn’t speak, instead, he focuses on his favourite co-owner. 

“Minnie I got a sunflower today.” 

Minseok is beyond confused, but even he got the gist of things especially since Kai came by the cafe a few nights ago talking about his deal. Instead of cutting Kai off and asking him how he knows about Yifan’s friend’s wedding, he decided he’ll ask Yifan himself when Kai leaves. 

“No way!” Minseok grinned patting Kai’s shoulder, watching the latter’s face lighten up. “I bet it’s really big too.” 

“It is,” Kai nodded eagerly, opening up his backpack only to reveal the actual flower in good condition apart from the few folded petals. “Look, I got it as an apology.”

“Why? What happened?” Minseok tenderly takes the flower from Kai and smells it. 

Kai shrugs, staring at the sunflower in deep thought unaware that Minseok was watching him with caution. Minseok always worried about Kai, he couldn’t help it because Minseok knew that he, himself, was one of the few people that Kai let in, that lowers his guards around. Minseok doesn’t want to touch a nerve or corner Kai about his life because he knows that Kai won’t come back. And Minseok couldn’t bare the thought of never seeing the hot-tempered boy again. 

“It’s the first time someone gave me a flower,” Kai said softly, as he sits down on one of the spare chairs and looks at Minseok wide-eyed. “He said the sunflower reminded him of me…but I don’t get it. people don’t say sorry to me. It made me think, y’ know…” 

Minseok glanced at Yifan who looked away not wanting to intervene into this unexpected intimate moment, slowly Minseok crouches in front of Kai. 

“For a split second, I actually didn’t know who I am. My true self, because I’ve been hiding and faking for such a long time that I don’t even know if this is me. The real me,” Kai flashed Minseok a broken smile as he gazes with dark orbs.

His voice was barely above a whisper. “I don’t want this to be the real me, I want to see myself like how he sees me…” 

“Oh, kid…” Minseok uttered placing his hand on Kai’s knee in an act of comfort, but everything flipped in less than second. 

Kai stands up abruptly, yanking his bag from the floor as Minseok loses balance and falls on the marble ground.

“Hey!” Yifan warned, leaning down to help Minseok but Kai’s eyes were narrowed like knifes ready to stab. 

Instead of replying verbally his emotions, Kai used his hands to convey by hitting the stacked paper cups from over the counter along with the glass jars filled with coffee beans as he begins to ruin everything in his sight. Yifan immediately stands up to stop the pink-head from destroying but the damage has been done as the customers watch in horror. 

“What a psychopath!” Tao gaped trying to pick up the remains of any intact decor. 

“Get the fuck out! The fuck out!” Yifan snapped gripping Kai’s arm and pulling him forcefully out of the store. 

“Fuck you, for looking at me like I’m some kind of charity case,” Kai shouted it wasn’t aimed at Yifan but at Minseok who looked distraught by the whole thing. 

“I better not see your face around here again!” Yifan pushed Kai on the sidewalk, standing guard dutifully by the door. 

Kai scoffs as he readjusts his rumpled attire. “I fucking promise you won’t see my face again.” 

(—————)

“Chanyeol!” Sehun hollers at his friend’s retrieving frame. “You can’t be serious!” 

“Sehun it’s free milkshake day at Yesung’s dinner! I have to be there!” Chanyeol’s yells back, sprinting away like the olympics champion he isn’t. 

Sehun literally shook the blue and white plaided shopping trolley bag with both hands on the handle in absolute outrage that he was once again on the bad-end of the stick of life.

People passing-by avoided him by walking around the bare-faced college student who was making incoherent, angry noises at the shopping trolley. Unknown to them, Sehun was imagining the shopping trolley was Chanyeol. 

Tugging the plaid patterned, shopping trolley Sehun continued on his walk to the big market. He didn’t particularly hate the shopping trolley like Baekhyun who called it a ‘walking fashion criminal’ even though Sehun was sure that a trolley couldn’t be arrested for being blue and white tones. 

The reason they — Kyungsoo - brought the trolley was simple, the groceries were too heavy and the distance was too long. And nobody wanted to get on Kyungsoo’s bad side, so there were no disagreements over this weekly arrangement of grocery shopping. The four best friends do it in rotations, and always in twos and it’s always random. 

Finally stepping into the spacious market, his senses are attacked. Sehun secretly loved the market, because it was one of the most realistic and humbled areas where nobody acted better than the other. Everyone struggles, everyone tries and everyone deals with it by hard work and dedication. 

“Where to start.” Sehun mutters eyes gazing over the high ceiling that had the nations mini-flags hung above. Scanning around him, he can see the stall holders smiling and chatting to their customers with genuine joy. 

He weaved through the crowds, worming his way through the intersection of the busy market trying to not drown by over-populated citizens. 

“Tomatoes first, Kyungsoo wanted to make a sauce from scratch,” Sehun explained out loud, already entering one of the many paths. 

Market stalls lined the route, and Sehun paused for a second trying to remember the main things for the house other than tomatoes. 

As he walked, he couldn’t help but remember Luhan. The ex always occupied his mind, even when he is unaware. Luhan had been all of Sehun’s firsts, so it’s understandable for him to feel the ache of heartbreak. 

Sehun actually remembers when Luhan came with him to the market for the first — and only — time. It was one of the most humiliating dates they’ve been on, his pride was wounded but it wasn’t something new. Sehun had suggested for them to go and buy organic ingredients so they can cook it together, and after much purgation, Luhan agreed to go to the market. 

When they got there, Luhan kept on scrunching up his nose in disgust by everything and wouldn’t stop complaining how unhygienic the market seemed. They didn’t even stay for more than 20 minutes with Luhan’s abusive remarks. 

“It’s not that bad, just..can you try to enjoy yourself?” Sehun spoke softly, trying to avoid Luhan’s burning gaze. 

“Not that bad? Are you stupid or something? It smells like an animal farm, and my shoes are all dirty.” Luhan scoffs loudly attracting the attention of some of the shop clerks that Sehun regularly shops from, causing him to look away ashamed. 

“It’s organic…no chemicals and..cheaper,” Sehun muttered, his voice getting smaller by each word. 

Luhan snorted already walking away. “Let’s go to the supermarket, where everything is actually sanitary.” 

“Wait!” Sehun rushed to catch up to him, avoiding the dirty and pitiful looks from the crowd around them. 

Luhan pauses with a huff. “You actually shop at this pig-site?” A devious smile graces his pink lips, watching Sehun watch him warily. “How do you know such a fancy word like ‘organic’ dummy?” 

Sehun frowned but didn’t say anymore, readjusting his bare shoulder bag and walked beside Luhan. 

“I..” Luhan didn’t even glance at him, too absorbed into his phone. “I wanted this..to be, y’ know, like a..a date.” 

Luhan glances at Sehun and snorts. “A date? Wow, how fucking wonderful, I just love to go grocery shopping, no scratch that. I especially love to go grocery shopping in a crowded, dirty, smelly market. It’s the highlight of my day, getting my new sneakers dirty” 

“I thought—“ 

Luhan fully stops, finally reaching his limit. “You thought what? It’s gonna be a blast? what’s your problem? We could have gone to the supermarket and not waste time walking around trying to find some fucking fish or radish. God, you’re such a dumbass sometimes Sehun.” 

A click of fingers snapped him out of his flashback, he blinked to regain his senses. He was still in the market, alone and no Luhan. In front of him was the shopkeeper about to click her fingers in front of him again. Sehun hurriedly grabs the plastic bag from her, declining the spare change. 

“No thank you, keep it,” Sehun claimed, walking away in search for the next purchase on his list. 

The footpath was filled with stalls selling cotton candy, small packets of nuts, dried fruit and other snacks but the majority were frying something on roasting skewers. Powdered pastries sat by the counters to attract potential costumers with their rich smell and glazed shine. 

As Sehun browses the stalls with interest, he spots Kai’s infamous dyed pink locks before resuming his search for the perfect snack. “That was Kai.” 

Upon saying it out loud Sehun realises what he had uttered and covers his mouth with both hands. Sehun starts to shake his palms, trying to shake off his anxiety along with it. Naturally, it hasn’t worked, and he has never felt more exposed than right now, in the open like a prey trying to commit suicide. 

“I have to avoid him, this seriously can’t be happening.” Sehun wails, averting his attention to the closest shop to him which was the fish store. “Oh, sugar! What do I do?” 

“Do you want some fresh salmon, brought in this morning?” The grandma explained, clearly unaware of the soon-to-be cringe zone of awkwardness. 

“What?” Sehun blurred, momentarily stopping from shoving his legs into the shopping trolley in hopes of hiding inside of it even though he knows deep down he can’t fit. But that won’t stop a desperate man. 

“Are you okay?” The grandma asked eyeing Sehun who had one leg raised mid-air. 

“I’m not sure,” Sehun replied after a beat of silence, following her gaze to his lifted leg.

“Do you have a nurse? A caregiver I can help you look for?” 

Sehun closes his eyes and mutters about how he must have looked so psychotic that she has immediately labelled him as mentally handicapped. No wonder Luhan always called him stupid. 

“Child?” The fish owner voiced her question still unanswered. 

Sehun glances around in slow-mo that would put movies to shame and the authorities alert, he can see Kai who is also watching him. What causes his panic to rise even further, is that Kai is actually making his way towards Sehun. 

“Oh my god, can the ground rip open and swallow me whole?” Sehun shrieked looking around trying to run away without physically doing so because; a) he was not Usain Bolt, b) his legs were wobbling and c) Kai is calling his name right now. 

“Are you deaf now?” Kai comments, fairly amused by Sehun’s blunt ignoring. 

Sehun’s eyes widen and he grabs the lady’s small cardboard sign that had the prices written on them and pretends to read them for less than 3 nanoseconds. — Sehun’s theory was if he couldn’t see them, they can’t see you. 

Kai lowers the price sign with his index finger slowly gracing Sehun with this mischievous smirk. “What are you doing, sunshine?” 

Sehun lowers the sign to reveal his bare face fully. 

“Me? W-What do you think I am doing? I am shopping for my weekly groceries, and not specifically mine because no normal human shops for 10 pieces of tomatoes, it’s for everyone, my roommates, the ones that you’ve met numerous times. I am doing nothing wrong, so you can’t accuse me of anything illegal!” Sehun rants defensively. 

Kai suppressed his laughter and kept glancing back and forth between Sehun and the price sign. Feeling more guarded, Sehun felt the need to protect his honour even further. 

“These days, the shop owners always write small details in the bottom corner, so I was, y' now,” Sehun nodded trying to ignore his face burning up, as Kai nods along to his lie. “checking.” 

The lady of the fish stall was irritated due to Sehun fooling her into thinking he was mentally ill, even though Sehun didn’t technically state nor deny this accusation. 

“Give it back,” The grandma yanks the sign back with a scowl. “You’re ruining it, and calling me dishonest. For your information, I do not scam my customers.” 

Kai stifles a laugh at how Sehun splutters an apology and ends up buying a big bag of clams.

“Here you go, 10 dollars.” Sehun held out the notes. 

The seller eyed him up and down, snatching the money. “It’s 20 dollars.”

Sehun’s brows disappeared behind him fringe, confused. 

“But..it says it’s 10 dollars for a bag.”  
“Someone came and took my price sign and smudged the numbers.” She shrugs, his palm extended waiting for the remaining amount. 

Sehun blinks at the perfectly clean and clear sign on the counter, then looks up at the grandma trying to not be intimidated by the number of wrinkles she has, because his theory was the more wrinkles you had, the more of a scary person you are. 

Sehun ends up paying the remains ten dollars, from the grocery budget that everyone puts their fair share into it. They had one rule and that was, whatever wasn’t on the list you pay from your own wallet. That law completely went out of the window today. 

“That was the most awkward thing I have ever, encountered,” Kai said, swinging back and forth on the back of heel leisurely, reminding Sehun he was yes, still in-fact here. 

“It was like a fish trying to climb a tree,” Kai added as an afterthought. 

Sehun didn’t reply, not wanting to embarrass himself any further, so he directed his entire focus on counting the remainder of the money and how Kyungsoo will be royally ticked-off by the number of clams he will bring. They will be eating clam soup for the whole upcoming week because there isn't much money left. 

The old lady comes back with a black plastic bag filled with clams, handing it over to Sehun before assisting her other customers. 

Sehun shoves the clam bag into the plaided shopping cart trying to walk away with the remaining of his dignity after getting blatantly robbed by an 80-year-old lady. 

He tries to remain passive when he realises that Kai is actually walking beside him. Sehun didn’t want to deal with him, his head was too muddled up and adding Kai to the equation will make it worse. 

“What do you want?” 

“What? can’t a man walk in peace?” Kai replies cheekily, watching Sehun fully stop and turn to face him with rosy cheeks and chin tucked in his scarf. 

“No,” Sehun huffs with pouted lips, causing Kai to smirk ready for the about-to-be rant. “A man can’t walk in peace because said man ended up startling me and causing me to buy a week’s worth of clams, which I will be forced to eat for 7 whole days, if not more by Kyungsoo — who will threaten me every 5 seconds to boil me with the clams because I waste almost half the grocery money!” 

“I—“ 

“And! It’s all your fault!” Sehun exclaimed eyes narrowed. “Why do you have to shop here of all places? Everyone will hold it against me about how bad I am with money, along with everything else — which is why I paid you to fix, not to add to my woes!” 

“Will you—“ 

“Literally the only exercise I’ve done this month is running out of money!” 

Kai doesn’t speak, instead, he smiles it’s small and knowing. Sehun gains a further confidence boost and sets his trolley to a stand, to be able to cross his arms properly waiting for Kai to speak. The waiting game didn’t last long, because Kai utters. 

“I startled you? That means I make you nervous.” Kai sing-songs. 

Sehun’s throat tightens, and in a fit out fluster he grabs the trolley handle and marches away but Kai was only a step behind ad if it’s a game. 

“Go away,” Sehun sulks, refusing to look at Kai. “This was an unofficial, accidental meet-up. So I will not pay you anything extra whatsoever, so leave.” 

“You don’t own this market.” 

(—————)

So in the end, Kai and Sehun ended up walking together in the market. Especially since Sehun has given up hope and accepted his faith. He was surprised to find out that Kai was actually a big help, especially when it came to fruit he knew from ripe and rotten teaching Sehun right then and there. 

“Thanks.” Kai waves at the elderly shop owner, placing the small bag of peaches in the trolley. 

“I still can’t believe you come here often..” Sehun said, genuinely intrigued that he and Kai were uncharacteristically getting along, minus the snide remarks from both males about each other. 

Sehun notices the way Kai’s tongue slip out the corner of his mouth when he is trying to read, or the way Kai blinks when he doesn’t understand or the way his voice rises due to excitement, or the way he sings when he’s teasing, or how his hair is too long and faded rose or the way his fingers would brush Sehun’s arm when he talks. 

They exit the small bookstore that was almost hidden by the corner. 

“I didn’t expect you to like reading,” Sehun comments watching the book disappear in Kai’s backpack. 

“Why?” Kai half-smiles and Sehun's stomach tightens at the pretty sight. “Because I only look like a good fuck with no brains?” 

Sehun’s eyes widen and his throat tightens by the harsh remark. “No. Because I don’t see a lot of young people read anymore, especially buying books from the market.” 

Shrugging Kai speaks. “My bad. Do you want some rice cakes? I saw you eyeballing them earlier..” 

“No, it’s out of my budget,” Sehun says regretfully, thinking about the big bag of clams and sighs. 

“I got some loose change.” Kai wraps his fingers around Sehun’s wrist tugging him to the rice-ball queue. 

As they wait for their turn in comfortable silence, Sehun thinks back to what Kai said and couldn’t help but frown about the vile words. 

“Do people say that to your face?” Sehun asks quietly. 

“Say what?” Kai turns to face him. 

“That you’re only a good…bleep,” Sehun whispered trying to not stain this market with bad language since most the people who shopped here are seniors or elders. 

Kai, on the other hand, laughed out loud at how Sehun spoke. He found it rather impressive that the college student before him had never sworn so far. Kai wants to break Sehun’s oath of no swearing, it will be a fun challenge. 

“Aye, they say worse things, it doesn’t bother me. It’s all talk, why should I get upset? I know my capabilities more than anyone, nobody needs to tell me what I am.” Kai pauses only to add as an afterthought. “Because I can be whoever I want to be. It’s make-believe. Only I know the difference.” 

Sehun opened his mouth wanting Kai to elaborate but closes it just as quickly when it’s their turn to order. 

“Two rice cakes with red bean filling,” Kai ordered, handing the lady the spare coins. 

Sehun watches Kai watch the woman and he couldn’t help but stare at his clothes, it was obvious they were old and over-worn by the loose and flimsy state of them. It would seem too rude to ask about one’s personal tastes. So he opted for silence, handing one of the two rice cakes to Kai. “Hold this one, it’ll warm you up, since… your hands are always cold.” 

Kai snorts but never the less takes it. “Wow, what a cool boyfriend I have.” 

With redder cheeks that Sehun tries to hide in the thick scarf he mumbles incoherently something along the lines of ‘shut up.’ and immediately bite into his rice-cake sighing in content by how it’s melting in his mouth. 

“Let’s go inside here, sunshine.” 

Kai rushes into the stationary story ahead of Sehun in a child-like manner, pointing at various toys and funky pens with his untouched rice cake. 

“Awesome! Look, it’s stamping.” Kai commented eagerly picking up one to inspect as the old man sits back busy. 

“Why aren’t you eat your rice cake? it’s getting cold.” 

Kai glances at the food then back at Sehun with a shrug, not seeing why he should explain to Sehun — of all people. 

But the look on Sehun’s face, one of genuine concern actually made Kai speak, but only half true. “You wouldn’t have taken it from me if I only brought you one.” 

“Is this about that stupid diet?” Sehun asks, not believing a word. 

Kai pauses sincerely surprised that Sehun had actually remembered, it was unusual for people to actually care enough to get to know Kai. 

“Do you want mine?” Kai answered instead, which Sehun frowned upon. 

“You do know that rice cakes don’t hold a lot of calories,” Kai stared at him unimpressed, and suddenly Sehun remembered whom he was speaking to. “Fine m-maybe it…does.” 

Kai turns away looking at the other items in the ancient looking store, trying to look as unenthusiastic as possible to stop Sehun talking of this matter. He didn’t want Sehun to think he has any right to guide or speak to him.

“But we probably would have burned it off by…by the time we leave the market,” Sehun said trying to compromise with Kai. “Trust me.” 

Kai doesn’t turn to face Sehun instantly, instead, he is thinking over his words. He wants to lash out at Sehun for bringing up something so sensitive to him, to him, nobody can understand him because they don’t know him. Including Sehun. If Kai tries to emotionally hurt Sehun, his money with hurt as well. 

So Kai does what he knows best, make-believe. 

“Trust you? I’d trust a rock more than I’d trust you.” He flashes Sehun a smile, to indicate he’s joking but it’s unknown to the other that it was the truth. 

Sehun uncharacteristically places his hand over his heart faking pain and plays along feeling actually comfortable with Kai. “Ouch.” 

Kai forces another easy smile on his lips, observing how Sehun’s eyed lighten up as if he’s realised an epiphany which Kai’s smile softens at the sight of Sehun looking through the stationary searching for something in particular. 

Sehun finds the desired stamp among the sea of stamps in their cardboard boxes. He pulls the cap off the green stamp and stamps the back of his own hand. The phrase in red ink was imprinted on his pale hand — Good Job. 

Sehun’s plan worked because Kai reaches his hand out, bumping Sehun’s first waiting for his very own stamping but Sehun refuses. 

“No, you have to eat the rice cake first.” 

“You don’t own me, so you don’t get to tell me what to do.” Kai scoffed lowering his hand to his side with a scowl. 

Sehun turns to the side to avoid Kai’s harsh eyes, he felt awkward but he needed to break through anything, and that anything became a someone. Even if he feels uncomfortable, Sehun needs to learn to stand his ground. 

“One rice cake isn’t going to add 10 pounds…” Sehun informed gently, eyes slowly holding the latter’s gaze. “And…since I hired you until the wedding, that makes me own you within..reason.” 

Kai opens his mouth to defend his dignity and position, not liking how he was cornered almost immediately. Sehun beats him to it. 

“You’re my boyfriend, a fake one at that, so everyone will think I’m a bad boyfriend who can’t take care of his man’s health,” Sehun states as he picks at the cuff of his winter coat with flushed cheeks. 

“Your man?” Kai mocks. 

Sehun closes his eyes in sheer embarrassment, scolding himself how he shouldn’t have even opened his mouth in the act of trying to be brave and break his restrictions he had set up from his previous relationship and the act of kindness to those who don’t appreciate it. 

“J-Just forget what I said, okay?!” Sehun said standing in a defensive stance, still not looking at Kai because of his anxiety rising. 

Kai doesn’t reply, Sehun’s brows furrow in confusion because the rosy-head will almost never miss an opportunity to speak. 

Sehun tugs his hair in an act of punishment for speaking out because he and Kai aren’t even considered friends due to this relationship being a paid one. He needs to stop saying such ridiculous things without thinking them through, no wonder Luhan always called him stupid. 

But what stops his downward spiral of self-loathe was a tan hand sticking out at him, causing Sehun to look up at Kai who is, in fact, munching on the rice cake waving it around to emphasise his point of eating. 

With a mouthful, Kai speaks. “ I don’t get a ‘good job’ too?” 

Sehun nods hurriedly taking Kai’s hand tenderly into his own, examining Kai’s cold palm and how rough his fingertips were. Sehun glances at Kai and catches the pink-head watching him. Sehun stamps with care, feeling this warmth spread across his chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

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	10. Night Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

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> It was okay for me in the beginning but not anymore. I get envious when I see other authors getting comments from their readers. 
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With great difficulty, Sehun enters the apartment and most certainly does not trip over his own legs with the additional weight of the overloaded trolley full of food. As he stumbles in, he glances around and notices one of his roommates, Baekhyun. 

“Don’t you have class?” Sehun asks, propping the trolley further inside, as he takes off his shoes. 

Baekhyun who has been sitting on the carpeted floor of the living room, with his notes spread out on the coffee table, looks up at Sehun startled. “Huh? No, the professor cancelled it just as I was waiting for the bus.” 

“Is there any hot water left? I feel like I survived a war today.” Sehun sighs dragging himself to the open kitchen with the trolley following behind. 

Baekhyun stands up with a heave, placing his black-rimmed glasses on top of his head to push back his damp hair. Instead of immediately replying, Baekhyun smirked suddenly walking towards Sehun like he found his victim.

“Oh yeah, there’s plenty of hot water left.” 

Sehun furrows his brows when Baekhyun helps him unload the grocery. He knows that Baekhyun’s horrid impulses are becoming more common and his niceness is becoming rare. So Baekhyun helping him out of his free will, especially when he was studying, is something to be wary of. 

“You know what we need to do?” Baekhyun began taking the tomatoes from Sehun’s grasp. “We need to go dancing.” 

“What?” Sehun took the tomatoes back, feeling unsafe. 

“Y’know, we need to dance,” Baekhyun replied taking the vegetable back forcefully. “We need to go to a nightclub tonight.” 

“What?” 

“What do you mean, what? Are you a broken radio? Nightclub. Tonight.” Baekhyun huffed, yanking the clam bag from Sehun as well. “So you need to go and shower, like, right now.” 

“I have a quiz tomorrow, what are you talking about? I can’t just—“ Sehun gets cut off promptly. 

“You can invite Kai okay? does that make it better for you princess?” Baekhyun huffs placing the black clam bag on the counter, glaring at Sehun daring him to speak. 

“Listen. I feel like we haven’t hung out in ages, so what better way to do that than to let some steam off at the dance floor? Plus we can invite Kai.” Baekhyun says in a rush. 

“We hung out 2 days ago, remember? Chanyeol’s kit-kat lasagna?” Sehun frowned. 

“Having dinner together doesn’t count as hanging out!” Baekhyun pursed his lips, eyeing Sehun in disdain as he continues. “So go take a shower, while I finish unloading the groceries.” 

“I’m not… going to a nightclub, especially with Kai.” Sehun states trying to hold his ground because today was fun with his fake boyfriend and he doesn’t want to ruin today’s memory with Baekhyun’s misplaced mischief. 

Baekhyun pulls out the sliced bread from the trolley casually, humming at Sehun’s response giving him false hope of the situation is diffused. 

But the moment Sehun reach into the trolley, Baekhyun strikes. Quite literally, hitting Sehun on top of his head. “Yah!” 

“Listen to me Oh Sehun! We are going to the nightclub not only to de-stress but more importantly it’s for your love life. I don’t trust Kai, and I’d rather you not have a boyfriend than to deal with heartbreak! That’s what love ends with, heartbreak.” Baekhyun rants smacking Sehun with the bread again but on his arm, with less force trying to indicate that it isn’t that serious with a smile, a smile that falters. 

“Always.” 

Sehun ended up heading to the bathroom with a heavy heart for his best friend and frazzled thoughts of how he will break the news to Kai because he remembers the bus stop incident where Kai complained about Baekhyun. 

Unknown to his roommate, Baekhyun waited until he could hear the bathroom door lock and rushed, leaving food alone. Like lightening, Baekhyun rushes to the laundry room and sees Sehun’s clothes. 

“How long do your legs need to be?” Grabbing Sehun’s jeans he searches through the pockets until he finds his phone. “Why are your pockets so hard to find you giraffe.” 

Baekhyun doesn’t need to scroll for long, due to the lack of contacts on Sehun’s phone. Kai is the most recent and repetitive one. Glaring at Kai’s ID, Baekhyun calls him. 

“He doesn’t even answer the phone, tsk.” Baekhyun huffs sitting on the floor holding the phone. It hasn’t even past 5 seconds before he continues his muttering of displeasure. 

“How unreliable. He should have answered by now.” Baekhyun waits until the first ring dies, and tries again for a second. 

“E-Even Jongdae answers me by now.” Baekhyun groans flopping back on the floor with the phone raised high in the air. “What an asshole.” 

The third ring nags in the air along with the shower’s noise in the background making Baekhyun hate himself even more. He knows exactly what he is doing and what he’s getting everybody, especially Sehun, into. 

Baekhyun knows he needs to stop hurting everyone around him, because it isn’t healing his own hurt nor is it giving him some type of satisfaction if anything his actions have an almost immediate cause-and-effect, which him wanting to up-do his last scheme so it can be the last and he can prove that love doesn’t exist. But it’s never the last scheme in his mind. 

“What?” Kai hisses through the phone’s speaker almost breathless, making Baekhyun sit up hurriedly.

“It’s Baekhyun.” He replies dryly, as if it explains everything, and somehow it does. Because he can hear Kai groan in displeasure and some incoherent chatter and shuffling as the background noise lessens. 

“I won’t take long, I know I shouldn’t have answered—I’ll make it up! Fuck!” Baekhyun can hear Kai addressing someone else and a door being slammed with Kai’s heavy breathing filling in the abrupt silence. “Why are you calling from Sehun’s phone?” 

Baekhyun’s brows raise unimpressed. “We’re going to a nightclub tonight around 9ish, it’s called ‘Universe’.” 

Kai hums in reply giving Baekhyun the cue to continue. “So, you need to meet us there, because we need to hang out properly.”

“I’m busy, I need to go so—“  
“But Sehun’s been feeling down lately!” 

“That’s not true, I was with him all afternoon at the market since you ‘roomies’ bailed out on him.” Kai counter-attacks.

Baekhyun pauses trying to gather his thoughts but was interrupted when he hears the shower stop. “Shit, listen. I don’t care. You better be at club Universe by 9ish okay?” 

Baekhyun doesn’t give Kai the chance to reply because he hangs up on him and runs to Sehun’s bedroom and throws the phone on the bed before diving on the floor of comic books littering the ground, when he sees Sehun open the bedroom door, utterly puzzled. 

“Um. What are you doing in my room? on the floor?” Sehun asks trying to keep calm as he glances at General Kitty McMitten’s book-castle as he prays that the cat is sleeping so it won’t expose itself or Sehun. 

“I needed a sharpener, it’s fine I can write in pen.” Baekhyun chatted hurriedly standing up and walking to the door in a stiff manner. “Put the Gucci perfume I got you last Christmas, nobody will be able to resist you at the club tonight.” 

(—————)

The four roommates stand outside in the line of the nightclub, looking well-dressed and two out of the four are tipsy. And those two are Sehun and Baekhyun. Sehun may say no to a lot of things, even get pressured — but wine isn’t one of them. 

“We’ve been waiting here for an hour. It’s already 10.” Kyungsoo complains with crossed-arms. 

Sehun is glad he didn’t call Kai for tonight’s unplanned night out, he didn’t want to explain to Kai why he was yet again pushed by Baekhyun to do something he wasn’t fully comfortable in doing like inviting his fake-boyfriend-to-a-nightclub-with-his-friends-where-he-is-supposed-to-do-that-since-he-is-paying-him-800-dollars-but-Sehun-wanted-him-for-certain-occasions-but-that-has-not-gone-to-plan-type-of-comfort. 

Just the thought of Kai teasing him is getting his ears flushed, because during the time that he and Kai spent the majority of today with each other in the market made him see Kai in a new light, maybe it’s dimmed and the weather is foggy in this new light but Kai opened himself to Sehun which made him feel giddy in the inside. 

“Is that Kai?” Chanyeol squints at the figure walking ahead to their spot, looking like a deadly sin. 

Sehun just as shocked and confused blurs out, “But I didn’t call him.” 

“I know, I did,” Baekhyun replies nonchalantly, as everyone focuses on Kai’s approach as if it’s some runway.

Kai was enchanting. Both men and women swooned at the sight of him, no matter their sexual preferences and Sehun knew, he knew, that one word passed his plush lips would have even the straightest of men flush shades of red that no one ever knew was naturally possible. 

“Oh my god.” Chanyeol openly gaped at the sight of the man. 

Sehun knew Kai was devilishly handsome, even with the embedded fatigue in his skin he had that haunting look that draws you in. This is new territory, like the time he had signed up to amazon prime and got overwhelmed then ended up deleting the account. 

He wanted to delete Kai for making him feel hot in the face — and everywhere else. 

Kai’s rose locks were tousled into a tamed mess, that had soft curls at the end. His copper-coloured orbs were lined with black power that was smudgy on the outwards corner. He walked with a demand to be noticed, gliding down the streets like a slinking panther. Instead of his all usual all-black attire, he had added a dangerous mix — The colour red, and it wasn’t any shade of red. It was a rich, ruby red. 

“Do you think he will say yes if I ask to borrow his shirt?” Chanyeol asks, still charmed. 

“I don’t think it’s the shirt that’s making him look like an expensive seven-course meal,” Baekhyun replies in annoyance. 

The blood red, loose fitted silky dress shirt with too many buttons undone made him look edible, especially with his exposed collar bones. It was clearly over-sized with the way Kai had tucked it into his infamous black skinny jeans. His toffee Adonis-looking complexion glistened in the night lights like a glimmering star with how glowy his skin seemed. 

“But are you sure it isn’t the shirt? I mean if I could wear it, I might start getting dick appointments—“ Chanyeol’s ranting is abruptly cut off by an angered Baekhyun. 

“Yes! It’s not the fucking shirt,” Baekhyun hisses. “I bet if he was wearing a trash bag, he’d make it look equally…decent.”

Kyungsoo snorts. “Decent? He looks like the devil himself. I’m not gay, but he’s extravagant.” 

“And Chanyeol stop saying dick appointments.” Baekhyun scoffs, smacking the latter in the stomach lightly. “Please.” 

Kai pauses in his dirty converse, and glances at the Porsche that dropped him off earlier down the street, that’s now parked across the street. He looks at the driver and grins forcefully and he winks — exactly like he had agreed earlier. The driver seemed satisfied and turns on his engine, ready to drive off and Kai couldn’t be gladder. 

Kai turns back around to the group who are still stunned by his cleaned-up, sharp appearance. Kai oozed money right now, even though he was everything but. 

“Are you wearing kohl?” Baekhyun spits in outrage by the fact that it looked magnificent on him. 

Kai is suddenly transported several hours before his arrival to the group when Baekhyun called him earlier on the day. 

“Shit, listen. I don’t care. You better be at club Universe by 9ish okay?” Baekhyun hangs up, and Kai glares at the phone so heatedly that it should have combusted then and there. 

His anger is quickly transformed into exhaustion. He stares at the closed, bathroom door numbly, unaffected by the coolness of the marble wall he’s leaning against fully unclothed. He doesn’t like himself, he concludes silently. He doesn’t like where he is at in life, he finalises. Maybe that’s why he subconsciously clings to Sehun’s life, clings to the light Sehun shines. 

“Fuck..” He whispers, it’s almost inaudible. But it rings in his ears deafeningly. 

He wonders what it would be like to have friends, as he turns his head to the large mirror he’s been purposefully avoiding. He stares at his reflection and he feels disgusted swell inside of him, in his veins, on his skin, inside his heart — everywhere. Like a wildfire. 

He looks at his bare state and glares in hatred. Slut. 

His skin is glistened with sweat and glow, his lips red and puffy. He has shaky hands, it happens often, so often that it doesn’t bother him anymore. Another fault added to the list. He knows he’s underweight, but that’s the way everyone likes him to be. They like to feel his bones and the slopes of his body under their hands, knowing they could break him. 

“Kai!” 

He’s snapped out of his trance, wiping his damp eyes roughly. He finger-combs the bird-nest on top of his head with care, almost a soothing method. His name is called again and Kai gives himself a smile in the mirror, it takes him three tries for them to not quiver. 

“Sorry for taking so long Donghae,” Kai utters hoarsely, closing the bathroom door. “I was trying to tidy myself up.” 

The man on the bed oozed sex, money and power. Kai knew the man was an important person in the world of business and an even more important client to Kai. He couldn’t afford to leave Donghae, among a few others, he paid him well and didn’t treat him so terribly all the time. The businessman pats the bed, and like the obedient dog, Kai is, he obeys. 

Kai makes his way to the bed mutely and doesn’t utter until he’s climbed onto Donghae’s lap, his cool hands splattered on the latter’s chest. “Can you drop me off at Universe later?” 

Donghae pauses from playing with Kai’s fingers and looks up with a quirked brow. “Huh, you’re actually serious baby.” 

Kai knows men of power like to abuse it. So, he doesn’t glare nor scowl, and most definitely show disrespect. Instead, Kai drops his shoulder, flutters his lashes, tilts his head downwards to give the allusion of being coy. “I want to go see Sehun.” 

“You want me to give you a ride to see your boyfriend who interrupted me,” Donghae’s grips Kai’s chin as he brushes his thumb against Kai’s bottom lip. “fucking you, making you beg like the good little whore—“

“Yes.” Kai cuts him off hurriedly. He doesn’t want to hear this, he can’t hear this. “Please? I’ll do whatever makes you happy, please?” 

Kai knew he shouldn’t have told Donghae about Sehun, even if the man knows him about him vaguely. But after Kai’s fall-out with Minseok, he had no one to talk to literally. He needed to vent, to rant, to release his demons. So he spilt some things in a drunken state about Sehun and how Sehun makes him feel alive, how he’s such a great boyfriend. Kai didn’t want his fictional story to end so he didn’t mention the deal or how Sehun is paying him to be his boyfriend. 

“What are you going to do then, eh?” Donghae teased, liking how desperate Kai’s state is. “You going to be a good boy?”

Kai starts to sprinkle kisses across Donghae’s firm chest and nods. 

“How about starting to answer your phone the way you answer it for Sehun when I call?” 

Kai lets out a breathy agreement, his tongue swirling around the exposed skin yearningly. Donghae softly tugs at Kai’s mane in satisfaction watching some dribble shine Kai’s lips. “I want you to wear my clothes, I want him to smell me on you.” 

Kai lets out a breathy laugh at the childish request, and that seemed to earn him a hungry kiss from Donghae smashing their lips together. “You’re a sadistic fucker.” 

Donghae grabs Kai’s bony hips and flips him over, as they switch positions with Kai now beneath him. Kai’s hands cradle the elder’s face knowing how much he likes it and gives him a soft moan. 

“I’m going to fuck you so hard, you won’t walk properly tonight,” Donghae whispers in Kai’s ear as he begins to leave a trail of kisses down his neck. 

“I like a challe-“ Kai unconsciously gasps when Donghae bites down on his skin, smirking at the reaction. “a challenge.” 

 

Snapping out of the flashback Kai smiles mockingly at Baekhyun and turns to Sehun who looked like a puffer fish by how open his jaw is. He wraps his arms around Sehun, trying to act like a couple and absorb Sehun’s warmth. ‘From one job to another’ Kai thinks, but he pushes the thought away as quickly as it came. “You smell nice.” 

Sehun exactly like a fish out of water lets out a breathy, yet characteristically awkward acknowledgement. “T-Thanks.” 

“What about me? You like red on me?” Kai tilts his head and smiles, and Sehun is too flustered to reply. “I don’t really like the colour on me..” 

Sehun without missing a beat blurs out.”I love red on you, I mean, y’ know, it looks really nice.” 

Kai genuinely smiles as he mimics Sehun’s stiff bobbing, “Just nice?” 

Sehun opens his mouth to retort, knowing he shouldn’t have let Kai slide that easily since the teasing already begun. “Why do you like teasing me? Stop it, I don—“ 

“Get a rooooooooom!” Baekhyun cuts the couple off from continuing their conversation in annoyance. 

“I would have taken a different approach, but please we are all single fellas tonight,” Kyungsoo shrugs helplessly, with Chanyeol wrapping his arms around Kyungsoo who elbows him in the stomach. “How many times do I need to tell you, I don’t do hugs.” 

“We should have started lining up earlier,” Baekhyun complains going on his toes, observing the long line ahead of them. It could be an hour or two before they even get inside. 

Chanyeol who’s wheezing with his arms wrapped around his stomach lets out a croaky “Forgot, Kyungie.” 

“I know the guards here, let's go,” Kai states casually, wrapping his fingers around Sehun’s wrist ready to walk ahead with the group. 

Baekhyun and Chanyeol look at each other with raised brows, one with a grin and the other with pursed lips. “There can be some perks to him, I suppose.” 

Chanyeol raises his brow, as they are guided to the front door. “He’s getting kudos from us, stop being an ass about it.” 

Kai glances at Sehun who is clearly not loving the attention they’re getting, so Kai’s hand slowly slips from the latter’s wrist not wanting cause him any discomfort but Sehun intertwines their fingers together and Kai looks at him so taken back by the small, almost unnoticed gesture that Sehun flashes him a small smile. “Who’s flustered now?” 

Kai shakes his head quickly. “Not me,” trying to divert the sensation of holding Sehun’s hand, he looks at the guards ahead of him. “Hey lads, how’s it going?” 

“Same old kid,” One of the pair speak, as the other leans back by the door impressed by Kai’s small group. 

“When did you get friends?” The other speaks with a friendly tone. “They look around your age too.” 

Kai’s eyes widen by the true statement, and glances at the roommates which some seem unbothered but one. 

“What does he mean? ‘around your age’’.” Baekhyun quotes suspiciously with his arms crossed over his chest.

Kai disregards Baekhyun as a whole and punches the security guard playfully. “Since tonight, now you gonna let us in or what, Yunho?” 

Yunho looks at his colleague and pushes himself off the side of the door giving the full entry. “Should we let them in Changmin?” 

“Yeah, his first night with friends. We should be honoured to be able to meet them, eh?” Changmin jokes and Kai gives him a middle finger as he goes through with Sehun by his side and the group following them as Chanyeol puffs his chest out, feeling special about the treatment while Baekhyun is already sulky about Kai’s appearance and benefit. 

(—————)

“So you’ve been here a lot clearer, from that welcome.” Baekhyun mocks looking around the crowded club. 

Kai smirks cockily, swinging his and Sehun’s locked hands faintly. “Of course, I love dancing.” 

“Really? Like Michael Jackson level of dance?” Sehun states in surprise, taking a step back from Kai as if to give him space for some type of sudden flash-mob dance routine Sehun has seen in musical movies. 

Kai opened his mouth to reply to Sehun, but Baekhyun cuts him off. “Do you always come alone to the club to get some action? Do even have a preference? Guy or girl? maybe both?” 

Kyungsoo who’s been quite low-key about this whole interaction between the pair, hoping nothing will be blown out of proportion has officially had enough. The only reason he came was that Chanyeol wanted a night out, and everyone knew how terrible mix alcohol is in their group. Especially with Baekhyun and Sehun sharing a wine bottle. Now Kyungsoo ended up being the designated sober ‘mother’, because of Chanyeol, Baekhyun, Sehun and now Kai. He isn’t in the greatest mood for being sober, in the same space as everyone. 

“Can you stop with the nonsense interrogations? You promised me free drinks tonight. That’s the only reason I agreed.” Kyungsoo snaps, narrowing his eyes at Baekhyun who narrowed them back. 

“Baekhyun buy me a drink please.” Chanyeol whines, trying to keep the atmosphere semi-friendly, wrapping his arms around Kyungsoo’s shoulders as he looks at Baekhyun with a pout. “Pretty please?”

Kai gestures at the general direction of the broad bar on one side of the club. “Ask for Kangin by the bar, tell him you’re a friend of Kai’s.” 

Baekhyun unable to turn away freebies, especially if they contained alcohol begin to walk towards the bar instantly like some type of gravity force pulling him. “I’m watching you both love-birds if that’s what you are.” 

As Chanyeol watches Baekhyun walk off, he leans towards Kyungsoo whispering in his ear still not letting him go. “I thought you were gonna be the designated driver?” 

“Not with this fuckery happening tonight,” Kyungsoo replies crossing his arms, unaware of Sehun and Kai’s departure to the dance floor, and nods towards another group amidst the crowd. “Do you see what I’m seeing?” 

Chanyeol narrows his eyes scanning the direction where Kyungsoo is pointing, and his eyes double almost immediately at the sight of Baekhyun’s ex, Jongdae, with his own group of friends enjoying themselves. 

So Chanyeol does something honourable and lowers his head for Kyungsoo’s sake and sanity. “I’ll be sober, someone needs to be when Baekhyun is drunk. God knows what’ll happen when he sees Jongdae.” 

“You’re telling me! Only a couple of days ago he had a breakdown about it.” Kyungsoo shrugs helplessly. 

Chanyeol takes another glance at Jongdae who’s ignorant by their presence and sighs heavily. “I might need some miracle to keep Baekhyun from scratching Jongdae’s eyeballs tonight.” 

Kyungsoo glances upwards at Chanyeol, unbothered that he’s being leant against by the giant. “One shot won’t hurt.” 

Chanyeol scoffs humorously by the statement and weak-will of both himself and Kyungsoo, knowing the predictable will occur in time tonight. “Let’s go.” 

As the roomies approach the bar, they hear the devil himself, Baekhyun shout in a shrilling voice over the music what they’ve been dreading. 

“Is that fucking Jongdae?” 

Chanyeol and Kyungsoo look at each other and wince. “That’s a new record of his Jongdae radar.” 

Kyungsoo brushes his hair messily, raising two fingers at Chanyeol. “Two shots?” 

“Stop it, Kyungsoo.” 

(—————)

Sehun is being pulled by Kai deeper into the packed dance floor, as bodies sway and rub all over each other. Sehun usually has to be more than tipsy to even step into the dance floor, let alone dance. So there they were, merged with the crowd their hands intertwined together loosely by their sides as they moved their bodies to the beat. 

“God I needed a night out,” Kai groans tilting his head back momentarily. “Work was shit.” 

Sehun watches Kai carefully and hums in agreement. He can see Kai is tired, he always seemed tired; it’s like he always had some sort of heavyweight he kept on dragging. 

“This morning’s grocery shopping was fun, but since we walked a lot maybe that’s the reason you feel worn out?” Sehun suggests softly, swinging this intertwined hands together as he moves his body to the rhythm. 

Kai opens his mouth but nothing comes out, as he had not expected Sehun would even bother to comment. He didn’t expect Sehun to be so focused on him solely, listening to him and not disregarding Kai’s thoughts and feelings to his own beneficial reason.

“Hey, thanks for inviting me.” 

Sehun’s eyes double, and his lips stretch into a small but genuine smile. “I, unfortunately, didn’t, so I can’t take the credit from Baekhyun.” 

Kai snorts but says nothing more, letting himself get lost into the music; becoming one with it. Sehun slowly mimics his fluid moves easily, as the pair almost become enchanted by the beat and the whole atmosphere. 

Kai couldn’t be gladder that Baekhyun invited him, but he would never utter those words out loud, let alone in front of Baekhyun himself. He’d rather eat his own vomit that expresses gratitude to him.

Kai needed a break from his ‘work’ and ever since he met Sehun, his life has been a little more controlled. In the aspect that he has more to do than just breath and try to get through each day. 

“Thanks for finding me.” Kai murmurs softly, half-wishing Sehun won’t hear him and half-wishing Sehun will. 

Sehun stills from dancing to the booming rhythm and stares right at Kai. He watches Kai watch him and the world around them stops. Everything is a blur around them, the only focus is each other and they can’t seem to shake the feeling in their chest fast enough. 

“I think you secretly found me…” Sehun replies under his breath, but he might as well be shouting it at Kai from how genuine the words flow. “I know we’re in a deal, but I really see you as a friend, not a stranger I’m paying…a really good friend.” 

Kai couldn’t help but mimic Sehun’s wide smile, because he hasn’t been called that in such a long time that it hits something he’s been trying to forget and now all he wants to do is tell Sehun everything. 

Sehun laughs at the sight of Kai’s reaction and hits him on the chest lightly. “Stop looking at me like that.”

Kai doesn’t hesitate to smash his lips with Sehun’s. Kai feels fireworks in his heart, heat in his stomach and shooting stars in his mind but the kiss was fleeing as he realises what he’s doing very quickly and pushes Sehun away from him in a rash manner. 

Dazed, Sehun touches his lips tenderly, fixedly gazing at Kai in confusion. “Wha—“ 

“Gotta make it real for your fans over there,” Kai lies smoothly, nodding his head to the bar on the other side of the nightclub where the gang is busy chatting among themselves. 

“Why do you always have this guard look on your face?” Sehun blurs out in some type of defence, from their awkward kissing moments ago. 

Kai tilts his head, hesitating to answer for a moment. So he replies safely; vaguely. “When you don’t have people, it always seems that way.”

Someone pushes Sehun causing him to almost trip but at the last second, he grabs Kai’s wrist tightly to balance his drunk state to a standing stance. The touch that was initiated by Sehun caused Kai’s brain to turn into a frenzy. The LED strobe lights made everything seem to be in slow-mo, causing the scene to become more magical. As soon as their eyes meet, the electricity is zapping its way from their chest and into their hearts. 

“You got me at your corner now.” Sehun declares with such solidarity and faith that it makes Kai believe. The warm feeling in his chest is growing and Kai doesn’t like this foreign sensation. 

“Let’s go get some shots!” 

Sehun already getting dragged across the dance floor, laughs. “Alcohol is my kryptonite!” Sehun hollers, their earlier little spark slowly getting faded by the mention of alcohol. “It makes gives me a new, more confident ego. Kinda the opposite effect, to be honest, like the thing that happened to Superman when he was—” 

“Alright, let's not start the comic-book geek spiral,” Kai teases, getting closer to the bar. “We need a name for this ego. But please for the love of god don’t name it something ridiculous like that ginger monster.” 

Sehun gasps scandalously pulling away from Kai’s grasp. “How dare you disrespect General Kitty McMittens. He showers you with love an-and purrs! That is how you are going to repay him? in mockery?” 

Kai pulls up his sleeve to show his forearm that has scratches defensively. “I am the victim here, not that fucking hybrid.” 

They continue their small play fight over the green-eyed cat house, and Sehun can’t help but think as he observes Kai’s outburst in amusement, that he feels comfortable. The thought comes fleetingly, gone as quickly as it came. I could get used to this. 

“What is this? A lovers spat?” Baekhyun grunts from behind his glass of Margarita, draining it swiftly from its content. 

“I didn’t know you had friends, Kai.” The bartender, Kangin, addresses teasingly, as the pair greet one another with their unique handshake. 

“I am hearing this for the second time this night,” Baekhyun singsongs, poking Kai’s chest but pauses he sees Kai’s cold stare and gravitates towards Kai’s shoulder and pokes it once before taking a step back. “You are a playboy by the looks of it.” 

Kyungsoo who’s on his 4th drink already, eyes Kai up and down. “Or a lone wolf.” 

“Whatever it is, he clearly isn’t that anymore,” Kangin laughs lightly, placing his dirty rag over his shoulder. “I barely see him and thanks to you guys I don’t have to explain to my boss why I’m giving free drinks so often.” 

“Don’t you guys look like a power couple right now?” Baekhyun sneers at the sight of Kai and Sehun standing side by side. 

Chanyeol and Kyungsoo exchange looks, knowing that Baekhyun is now quite intoxicated and they also know that he is very much a lightweight ever since the time he drank two glasses of Rosé during their weekly hangout session and starting doing a strip show, and started to cry because nobody was throwing money at him.

“Here we fucking go,” Kyungsoo mutters, watching Baekhyun struggle to pull out his phone from his back pocket. Kyungsoo steals Kai’s shot from his hand, causing Chanyeol to groan and Kai to raise a brow in amusement.

Sehun winces once the flash of the video is directed at Kai and him, making him hide his face behind Kai’s shoulder. “Baekhyun stop it, it’s too bright.” 

“I am documenting this moment, not for memories sake for how drop dead gorgeous you both look right now, but because I know,” Baekhyun moves his phone closer to their faces and Kai pushes it away. “I won’t remember shit tomorrow, and I need to analyse this one’s behaviour.” 

Kai couldn’t help but let out a chuckle. “This one? Who hurt you, man? Shit.” 

Baekhyun narrows his eyes at Kai’s comment but tells himself it isn’t worth it, it was a trap. Instead of throwing a fit, he hands over his phone to Chanyeol and walks over to the couple. “Record this Yeol, I am so getting followers because of their looks alone.” 

Kai wraps his arm around Sehun’s waist quickly, flashing a quick smile somewhat uneasy with all of the records. He didn’t want to be known, his past will find him. He’ll try to get Baekhyun’s phone later on the night to delete any evidence of him. 

“Hello, all of my 926 followers on Instagram!” Baekhyun squints slightly at the harsh light of the phone, in the dark nightclub. “I have a question for you all, how would you describe this couple in three words? Because I would describe them—Hey!” 

A drunken man steals Sehun’s hat, borrowed from Baekhyun who thought he looked ravish and places it on his own head before running off into the dance floor. “Thanks!” 

Kai doesn’t waste any time and runs after the man in such a quick manner that he could be mistaken for a panther from how fluid he seems to move around people. Sehun’s eyes widen in panic at the sight of the abrupt chase. “Stop it! Kai! It’s not that serious, it’s okay!” 

Baekhyun looks back at the phone that Chanyeol is holding in shock. “I didn’t know this was a live-chase! Let’s go, team!” 

Baekhyun runs after them, with Chanyeol on his heels as his sudden camera-man while Kyungsoo leans against the bar counter hollering after them, unfazed. “I’m gonna watch from here!” 

It doesn’t take long for Kai to track down the hat thief, and surprisingly it doesn’t take long to feel anger that someone would disrespect Sehun like that. Fully sober or fully intoxicated. 

Kai grabs the guy by the collar of his shirt and shoves him back to the wall, yanking Sehun’s hat back off his head. “You better say fucking sorry to him right now.” 

“Kai stop it, let him go.” Sehun hisses quietly, trying to loosen Kai’s grip off of the poor man but Kai is seeing red, and it's hard for someone to make him get out of that zone. 

“Ladies and gentleman look at that. The heroic boyfriend to the rescue.” Baekhyun announces, winking at the camera as they finally arrive last that the small gathering. 

“Say you’re a drunk fuck,” Kai growls yanking the guy back and slamming him into the wall again. “Fucking say it! Don’t make me repeat myself you little shit!” 

“Kai! Don’t!” But Sehun’s words fall on deaf ears.

The intoxicated man complies with Kai’s orders pitifully. “I’m a drunk fuck…” 

“What’s going on?” A group of guys approach the scene in confusion and mild caution and upon closer glance one of the people of the group is none other than Baekhyun’s ex, Jongdae. 

“What. A. Stalker.” Baekhyun accuses heatedly as if he hadn’t spotted him 45 minutes ago. 

“What’s going on here?” Yunho, the security from earlier rushes to the incident. “Kai?” 

“Take this drunk fuck out of here.” Kai lets go of the thief’s collar and takes a step back. 

Jongdae steps between his friend, the thief, and security. “Wait, don’t. He’ll behave. Y’know how alcohol makes you be sometimes.” 

“Do you wanna be kicked out too?” The other security retorts dryly, already grabbing a hold of the hat thief. 

“Do it! Kick him out. I know Kai.” Baekhyun hypes excitedly by the prospect that Jongdae could be humiliated publicly. Instead, everyone focuses on him as he receives deadpanned looks. “What? I had to at least try it.”

The security begin to pull the drunk away and out of the club, and Sehun can’t handle this anymore and storms out. All of this happened because of him, it’s always him bring some type of misfortune upon people, he’s always in some time of the negative limelight. Exactly, like how Kangin would use him to attract any type of attention that he always craved for. 

“Sehun! Sehun where you going?” Kai calls after his fake boyfriend, but Sehun isn’t stopping so Kai jogs after him hurriedly. 

Chanyeol finally lowers the phone and turns off the video recorder watching the new couple have a lover’s spat. Baekhyun reaches out for his phone and nods his head in approval at Kai. 

“I hate to admit it, but Kai got some balls.” 

“Some? That was amazing. He already had my respect, but that literally made me want to be him.” Chanyeol says in admiration. 

(—————)

Kai finally finds Sehun outside in the alleyway from one of the side emergency exits, resting his back against the red-brick wall. 

He knows he acted out badly, he knows he wasn’t supposed to because of the deal and because Kai didn’t expect himself to go rouge all of a sudden. Instead, he didn’t know how little control he had when it involved Sehun directly. He could talk about Sehun and keep calm and rational when someone said something about him because Sehun wasn’t there to know in order to get hurt by the words. Sehun is fragile, and Kai understands that. 

“I’m sorry,” Kai murmurs softly, lighting up a cigarette trying to lessen the tense atmosphere. “I didn’t know what came over me, Sunshine.” 

Sehun snaps his neck to look up at Kai with a frown. “You need to relax and stop being so-so..” 

“So what?” Kai replies warily, narrowing his brows. “Say it, go on. So what?” 

“So extreme!” Sehun confesses, standing up straight in a defensive manner. “What you did was extreme!” 

Kai scoffs sarcastically, taking a step back offended. “Shit, I’m sorry that I brought back your hat.” 

Sehun doesn’t reply and keeps hum, and so does Kai. But it doesn’t take long for Sehun to finally gather his scattered thoughts and talk. 

“I don’t like being the centre of attention,” Sehun begins. “It never brought any good memories, and I know I sound like a broken record for saying it has to do with my old boyfriend but…but it’s true..” 

Sehun doesn’t realise he’s crying until he feels Kai’s ice cold hands touch his face with gentleness, padding away from the tears with his cigarette placed on the corner of his lips as the smoke dances around him enhancing his dangerous aura. 

“You deserve something you don’t have to question. You deserve someone who’s sure about you, Sunshine.” Kai lectures with the cigarette hanging off his lips. “If it’s any consolation, you’re a decent guy who is so genuine, and people would kill to be like that again.”

Kai smiles tightly at Sehun and pulls away, resting his shoulder by the wall taking a puff of his cigarette, staring at the swirls of smoke. Sehun’s observes Kai’s side profile with the street light shining by them. The state of Kai makes Sehun wonder, more curious about Kai’s personal life, even though Sehun knew it was a dangerous and touchy line to cross. Especially since their deal was strictly business. 

“Did you know that each cigarette you smoke, cuts a day from your life?” Sehun informs trying to not be awkward staring fixedly at the moon. 

Kai snorts at the comment, and pulls out second cigarette placing beside his current one and speaks in a muffled voice. “That’s the goal, I smoke because I know it’s bad for me.” 

Before Sehun loses his courage, and the alcohol lessens its effect he needs to ask. “Kai—“ 

The back, exit door slams open revealing a panicked Chanyeol. “Finally!” 

“What?” Sehun frowns in confusion, side-eyeing Kai who tosses his cigarette immediately and stomps on it to conceal it. 

“There is a crisis!” Chanyeol screeches and rushes back inside with the pair behind him. 

Inside the packed nightclub stood Baekhyun on top of the bar with Kangin and Kyungsoo trying to get him down as he dances using an ice tong for a mic singing his heart out with tears spilling out. 

“Is he crying?” Kai blurs out taken back. 

“Jongdae.” Kyungsoo and Chanyeol answer simultaneously. 

“I’ll remember you said, sometimes it lasts in love, but sometimes it hurts instead.” Baekhyun sings passionately, trying to swat away Kangin and Kyungsoo’s tugging at his pants. “I will find someone like yooooooooou—oh-oh! Better than yoooooou—oh—oh!” 

“Is that Adele?” Kai asks again surprised, unsure if he should laugh. “Is he ad-libbing?” 

“Jongdae.” Kyungsoo, Chanyeol and now Kangin answer him tensely. “Help us get him off the table.” 

“Baekhyun come on, don’t be like that. Please?” Jongdae pleads, causing Baekhyun to momentarily pause from his performance to glare at his ex-boyfriend. 

“You better shut the fuck up or I will beat your ass.” Baekhyun spits in outrage, throwing the ice tongs at Jongdae who tries to dodge it and fails as it hits his side. 

“Why are you so goddamn angry?” Jongdae yells back, feeling exhausted with Baekhyun’s antics. He understands he’s at fault with this short-tempered Baekhyun but he’s trying to make amends and it hasn’t been working. At all. 

Baekhyun gapes at him taken back and does the unthinkable. Letting out a battle cry he jumps on top of Jongdae as the pair topple to the ground of the nightclub. Baekhyun grabs a fist full of Jongdae’s shirt and glares at him so heatedly lasers should be coming out of his orbs. 

“Why am I so goddamn angry? I’ll fucking tell you why!” Baekhyun snaps, absolutely sick and tired of being portrayed as the psycho of their relationship. 

“Because of you! You make me like this! How dare you act like you are a good person? You literally broke up with me on our 1 year anniversary with no reason! You stood up from the couch and walked the fuck out of my life. I chased after you for 3 months trying to understand and I still don’t fucking understand! You ruined me, Kim Jongdae!” 

Chanyeol and Kyungsoo try to pull Baekhyun off Jongdae who is frozen by Baekhyun’s truth. The security is heading their way, but everyone is too focused on the pair, nobody dared to breathe or speak apart from Baekhyun who is thrashing in his friend’s arms not believing his chance of saying everything to Jongdae like this, Baekhyun, later on, blames the alcohol for yelling, but most certainly not the damn jump. 

“You made me look like a fool! You played me for your own satisfaction!” Baekhyun keeps ranting, and the security is getting closer. “You knew how much I love you, and you used me. I didn’t matter enough for an explanation or a reason? You up and left like I was a toy you got bored with.”

“We need to leave guys,” Chanyeol says, struggling to hold Baekhyun back. 

Sehun agrees helping his cousin from the ground, but he feels a rough hand on the back of his neck and sees one of the security guards looking down on him. 

“Let’s go.” The security guards aren’t the ones they talked to earlier, so there was no nonsense business. Instead, all of the crew plus Jongdae were kicked out from the back door. 

Jongdae knows he isn’t well liked by the group currently due to his and Baekhyun’s drama. Even if some of them don’t choose sides, their absence from his life was clear enough. 

“You aren’t fit to go home alone,” Kyungsoo states eyeing up Jongdae who raises his brows surprised. 

“It’s alright, I can wait for my,” Jongdae gestures around the empty parking lot. “My friends when they decide to, uh, leave.” 

“No way, that’s not safe,” Sehun interjects stepping beside Jongdae. “We can drop you off at your place.” 

Kai unconsciously analyses the situation at hand and feels suddenly out of place. He isn’t used to being around a group of people his age, let alone acting their age. So, Kai takes a step back trying to stay hidden. 

“Exactly,” Kyungsoo clicks his fingers pointing at Jongdae. “We are driving you home, however! It won’t be me.” 

“Fuck you.” Baekhyun glowers at his ex-boyfriend pointing at him weakly. “It’s my car and I won’t let you step inside it.” 

“What? Why not Kyungsoo?” Sehun furrows his brows, glancing at Chanyeol who breaking without hesitation under pressure and starts blubbering some nonsense. 

“I-He-Uhhh. Kyungsoo took my shot because, y’ know, Baekhyun spotted Jongdae then uh, I wanted a shot too so, we kind of, y’know..” 

“Chanyeol,” Sehun whines throwing his head back with a loud sigh, and Kai can’t help but cover up his smile with a scoff. “You needed to keep him sober.” 

“Well, it's hard when you have Baekhyun and his Jongdae radar! We immediately gave up on the cause.” Chanyeol throws his hands in the air, watching the group start to walk ahead of him and yells, “You all would have done the same thing!” 

“It wasn’t even a cause, just a task,” Sehun mumbles staring at the dirty ground. 

“Who has the car keys anyway?” Kyungsoo asks, unbothered by the petty squabble. 

Baekhyun suddenly runs ahead of them, thinking he looked like some type of sexy superhero with his hair pushed back and his physique getting shown off, however, the reality was unfiltered. He was half-running half-jogging glistening in sweat and with his hair sticking to his forehead, trying to zig-zag in order to not be caught but it looked plain embarrassing with his loud, heavy mouth-breathing. 

“Oh shit! The car keys are with him!” Kyungsoo yelps, running after Baekhyun hurriedly, which didn’t take him a long time at all to catch up to the latter, and leapfrogs on top of Baekhyun as the duo plummets to the floor. 

“Well, that was anti-climactic.” Jongdae states with his brows slightly raised at the drunk and quite frankly slow drunk wrestling. 

Kai stares at the sudden drunk wrestling that is happening before him and leans over to Sehun who shudders at Kai’s low voice whispering in his ear. “How did you survive with all of this stupidity in your life?” 

Sehun knows Kai is joking but he can’t help but feel slightly tickled by the comment. His roommates, who are coincidentally his best friends, have been there for him through everything. Even if they don’t necessarily support all his choices, like Kangin, but helped him deal with the consequences. 

“I probably wouldn’t,” Sehun replies softly watching the chaos before him. 

Chanyeol jumps into the pile trying to break up the duo but instead gets his hair pulled by Baekhyun, which resulted in Jongdae being added to the mix to try to stop the fight but also ended up in a counterattack by his ex-boyfriend who let go of Chanyeol’s hair and grabbed Jongdae’s instead. 

“I’m lucky to have them by my side, they have my back. Always. They accept me, all the good and bad — all of me.” A small smile appears on Sehun’s lips, and Kai can’t help but gaze at the tangled bodies on the floor. “As much crap as we go through, they make me feel. Like anything’s possible, or like, I don’t know. Like life is worth it.” 

“Help! I’m being attacked!” Baekhyun yelps when Kyungsoo digs his hands into Baekhyun’s pockets trying to pull out the keys and successes immediately stand up with his fist in the air and a grin of victory. 

Sehun bursts out laughing and Kai can’t help but think it’s so blindly beautiful that he can’t hold himself back and laughs a little, letting his guard down for a few minutes. He watches Baekhyun lie down on the cool concrete limbs spread out resembling a starfish, with Jongdae aiding Chanyeol from the ground making sure the male isn’t deaf, blind or bald. 

“Come on Baekhyun,” Sehun pulling up his moody roommate up to his feet. “There you go. Did you hurt yourself seriously?”

Baekhyun dramatically latches onto Sehun and narrows his eyes at Jongdae in hatred. “Only my broken heart because of that bitch.” 

“Every time I try and talk to you, I get abused by you! How the hell am I supposed to try and make things right when you won’t even sit in the same room as me?” Jongdae explains wearily. 

Baekhyun can’t handle the emotions trapped in his chest, if he keeps looking at Jongdae he might do something ludicrous — like to kiss him. 

So he opts to walk away from the group with Kyungsoo trailing behind him clutching onto the back of his shirt to tug him away from possible dangers like the street poles Baekhyun almost smacks, random strangers or worse, the concrete when he trips over his own two feet. 

“This is what I mean,” Jongdae grumbles semi-glaring at Baekhyun’s back before tilting his head back and closing his eyes trying to keep calm. “I try and be the adult and then he pulls this shit. 24/7.” 

“Do you blame him when you've acted like your relationship was a joke? Real mature to walk away without an explanation on your anniversary night and go AWOL for 3 months.” Chanyeol defends, hands on his hips. “Kyungsoo!”

“What?”  
“Throw me the keys!” 

Sehun manages to catch them and stares at the group with is hand stretched out. “We all consumed alcohol. We can’t drink and drive, that’s not safe.” 

“Alright! How much does everyone have? I got,” Chanyeol rummages through his pockets pulling out two crumbled notes, fuzz and a candy wrapper without the candy. “15 dollars.” 

“I can drive, I didn’t actually drink.” Kai steps up, reaching for the car keys from Sehun’s palm. 

“See? Good boyfriend!” Baekhyun shouts at Jongdae who rolls his eyes at his ex-boyfriend’s antics. “Knows he might be needed to be a designated driver or-or anything!” 

“We parked the car at the top of the street,” Sehun explains to Kai who nods and clasps their hands together, as the gang begins to walk. It was Sehun who intertwined their fingers, feeling more at ease with the acting. 

“Reminds me of our first time, eh?” Kai whispers into Sehun’s ear causing the latter to go flush. 

“We did nothing! You and I both know this.” Sehun shout-whispers and Kai can’t help but smirk at Sehun’s flustered behaviour. “I gave you the car keys to drive me home, and you ended up in my bed. Sleeping. Purely sleeping.”

“Yeah well who invited me up?” Kai quirks a brow trying to keep a straight face but failing. “It wasn’t me that started to cuddle and hug right? I wasn’t the one that kept talking about some weird paper friends—Ouch!” 

Sehun nods his head in approval at Kai’s reaction trying to act calm by looking away. He knew it was the alcohol that was making him more laid back and not so anxious and he was glad. He had actually enjoyed himself today. 

“Did you just pinch me?” Kai accused in mild surprise.

“No!” Sehun denies immediately and points a finger at his fake boyfriend. “I was rubbing your skin, to keep you warm. And for your information, paper friends is my abbreviation for my comic book characters.” 

“Yeah?” Kai tilts his head in an unsaid challenge. 

“Yeah,” Sehun replies holding his ground, which is quite uncharacteristic for him, and it makes him feel uneasy because it reminds him of all the times Kangin would step all over his everything. 

Kai doesn’t make a sharp remark nor does he degrade Sehun for speaking his mind uninterrupted. Instead, he nods his head in silent affirmation glad that Sehun didn’t withdraw his standpoint. 

However, Sehun’s self-esteem manages to seep through even with the alcohol slowing it down and promptly loosens his grip trying to let go of Kai’s hand, realising his sudden revolution of standing his ground can’t be followed through. 

But Kai startles Sehun when he pulls Sehun’s hand back and intertwines their fingers, holding Sehun’s hand firmly, and begins to swing their hands back and forth in a silly manner. 

“What…what are you doing?” Sehun voiced discreetly letting Kai swing their arms higher. 

Kai flashes Sehun his infamous smirk and a small shrug. “How high do you think we can go?”

Sehun keeps hum, suddenly feeling apprehensive and unsure of what the outcome of this joke will end up with him having the short stick. 

“To the moon,” Kai swings their hands all the way back then full-force sways their intertwined hands up in the air and hold them against the midnight sky briefly as both of them stare upwards. “And back,” 

Sehun glances at Kai who is looking straight at the bright orb in the night sky. 

“That’s how much your opinion is valued. We’re under the same sky, the same moon and the same sun. We’re all equal, my words have the same importance as your words do. Nobody is better or worse. Just y’ know,” Kai turns to Sehun and raises a brow as if it’s self-explanatory. “different.” 

“That’s the car!” Chanyeol hollers pointing at the red Honda. 

Kai lets go of Sehun’s hand and walks towards the car but not before turning back to his fake lover tapping the side of his head. “Let that marinate, sweets.” 

Everybody squashes into the car with Baekhyun and Jongdae at opposite sides of the back seats, along with Kyungsoo and Chanyeol squeezed between them. Kai turns on the engine and Sehun instantly buckles his seatbelt after 2 tries. 

“I technically don’t have a drivers license,” Kai pulls out of the parking good enough to not harm any other cars. “or a permit.” 

“Oh, nuggets,” Sehun face-palms but he’s smiling. “How do you even know how to drive?” 

“A friend gave a couple of lessons here and there,” Kai replies seamlessly remembering Donghae explain to him the different gears and shifts after getting thoroughly fucked in the backseat of Donghae’s Bentley. “Don’t worry, I won’t kill anyone.” 

“Why is he in my car? Get out, you cheater!” Baekhyun demands suddenly remembering Jongdae, and points at him who is swatting Baekhyun’s index away. 

“I didn’t cheat! I haven’t touched another person since our breakup!” Jongdae felt the need to clarify. “No dick, nothing. Not even boobs and I don’t even swing that way.” 

“What’s wrong with swinging that way? I really like boobs! only if it’s consensual.” Chanyeol protests throwing his hands in the air but ends up hitting Jongdae in the face. 

“See? That’s karma, you motherfucker.” Baekhyun hisses evilly but his hype dies as quick as it came because he begins to whine like a 5-year-old suddenly realising how tight the space in the back actually is. “Kyungsoo moves your fat ass, god, someone needs to cut back on carbs.” 

Kyungsoo purposely presses against Baekhyun who yelps for help as Sehun turns around trying to stop the possible killing. “And someone needs to cut back on being such a bitch.” 

“I most certainly am not a bitch, just catty.” Baekhyun gasps in outrage shoving Kyungsoo who swats him back. 

“I’m fine Chanyeol, thanks.” Jongdae covers one eye as he tries to push Chanyeol from making the ‘injury’ worse with his helping. 

Sehun turns to Kai who driving the empty streets well, as he hadn’t crashed into a tree or trash can yet. “We should’ve ordered a taxi right?” 

Kai lets out a small scoff but his lips were curled upwards. “I think we would’ve been arrested if that happened. Public disturbance maybe.” 

“Maybe.” Sehun laughs in delight, turning on the stereo fixating it onto a known music channel and his eyes double at the song being played that Kai didn’t seem to know.

“Guys! It’s our song! It’s our song!” 

It seemed to take the edge off, all of it. As the band was playing they messed up the lyrics as they sang along but they didn’t care, cause it felt like they were millionaires. Rich with friendship and wholesomeness. 

Kai peeked at the rear view mirror and let himself indulge in his make-believe fantasy that he knows everybody in the car for a long time and is close with them all, best friends he dared to add. And Sehun has been his boyfriend since forever, they’ve been an item for so long that he doesn’t remember a time when he wasn’t with his Sehun. 

He pretends that he has a favourite memory with everyone in the car; eating breakfast with Baekhyun and Chanyeol at a diner after pulling an all-nighter for their test, book shopping with Sehun but they switched their books to make it more fun, partying with Jongdae till dawn, cooking lunch with Kyungsoo for the whole group. 

Kai was bold enough to smile brightly imagining his fictional world filled with good people instead of bad. Where he wasn’t selling his body to feed himself and sleep in a bed, instead of the streets. Where he can go to university maybe, and study something to be smart like Sehun. Where Sehun is really his actual boy—

“RED LIGHT!” Baekhyun screeches pulling Kai out of his fabricated world who hits the brakes abruptly barely not crossing the light. 

“You won’t be giving me a ticket, not on my watch.” Baekhyun comments but Kyungsoo smacks him again. “I got my sixth sense going, even if I am drunk. My car-ticket sixth sense.” 

“It’s 3 in the morning, I don’t think there is anyone to give anything to.” Kyungsoo dismisses gesturing to the bare streets. 

Kai stares ahead feeling foolish for getting so wrapped up in his make-believe world. He is a fraud that is what he is. Kai lies and manipulates and uses people that is what he does, and that’s what he’ll keep doing. He shakes his head after glancing at the rearview mirror again, the people inside the car don’t even know his real name. Fraud, he taunts his reflection in the window.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

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> Please understand that your comments (love&support) for my stories gives me genuine happiness and excitement? I tend to write more because I am eager to read the feedback.


	11. Day 7: Kai (Part 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this took me a while, I had a tough time writing this chapter (the ChenBaek tbh) but finally, I finished it. Thanks for being super patient with me. 
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> It's an 8.6K chapter, please comment? 
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> ♡♡♡You have no idea how happy and jumpy I get every time I see someone commenting - the more hysteric screaming the better ♡♡♡

The gang arrived at the apartment all in one piece thanks to Kai’s steady driving and zero thanks to Baekhyun’s bursts of passive-but-more-so-overly-aggressive comments that almost caused several fights. 

Once everyone entered the apartment safely, Kai needed to get away. He didn’t have the heart to keep pretending tonight, so he bid his goodnights. 

“You aren’t staying over?” Kyungsoo asks Kai who doesn’t inch further into the apartment, instead of hovering near the door for a quick getaway. 

Kai glances at Sehun momentarily before looking back at Kyungsoo and shakes his head. 

“I got a morning meeting, and I can’t miss it.” 

Sehun stops helping Jongdae with cooking grilled cheese sandwiches, the group’s hangover remedy, and walks over to Kai. He is quite disappointed that Kai had to go, he thought today was such a surprising turn of events. They hung out practically the whole day, Sehun saw new sides of Kai that weren’t revealed to him previously. In the market and at the club. But Sehun wasn’t going to try and hold him back, remembering the breakfast date incident, Sehun didn’t want a repeat of that. 

So, Sehun drags his feet across the floor, in silent protest that Kai had to go, and stands before Kai and nods his head awkwardly and salutes as an afterthought. 

He’s still bad with public affection, “Goodnight.” 

The apartment goes quiet for a few seconds and it’s clear that the fake-couple have captured an audience. Sehun looks at Kai thinking they’re in danger of being exposed and immediately opens his arms trying to hug Kai, but in reality, it looked like Sehun was carrying an invisible box trying to not show his discomfort with physical touches. 

Yet Kai surprises Sehun by kissing him softly on the lips, brushing his plush lips against Sehun’s. Sehun is rigid in his spot, he feels both hot and cold at the kiss. If he hates it, Sehun doesn’t show it instead his face becomes the colour of a bad sunburn, feeling Kai’s lips ghost over his ear. 

“Stop acting like there is a stick up your ass,” Kai whispers almost in a sing-song manner and Sehun can’t help but smack Kai’s arm at the ruined moment entirely. 

“I hate you,” Sehun states childishly, trying his hardest to not whine at Kai’s antics. 

Kai pulls back with a tired smile, genuine but weary, and bids his last farewell to Sehun and the group before leaving. Sehun can’t help but wonder what is the cause behind Kai’s worn-out appearance, Kai was fine a few hours ago. 

“Why is my grilled cheese sandwich looks like it’s been in a coaling accident,” Baekhyun complains from the couch, as Jongdae rolls his eyes in annoyance flipping over another very crispy and very burnt sandwich in the frying pan. 

(—————)

Kai walks aimlessly under the starry night reflecting over what he did tonight, he kissed Sehun twice. He wishes to blame the alcohol but he didn’t drink anything, he stayed sober. 

“What the fuck was I thinking?” He groaning throwing his head back and pressing his palms against his eyes trying to physically remove the moment. 

Kai wasn’t sure why he did even kiss Sehun, he just couldn’t contain himself anymore, his senses went into overload. It was adrenaline, he opted for a reason. They were dancing and taking and under the strobe lights of the club his heart pumping, head spinning, lungs bursting and his body screaming for more. 

Their fleeting kiss earlier as their bid their goodnights he explained was almost a free-pass. After all, he needed to kiss Sehun goodnight for the others to see, he just happened to peck Sehun’s lips instead of his cheek. Kai huffs at his idiotic ways, why did he kiss Sehun twice. 

“It was flight or fight, and I, think, I, ugh,” Kai stops lamely, feeling exhausted as he replayed the whole night. 

He couldn’t believe how foolish he had been. Letting himself get lost and carried away in his make-believe fantasy that he was capable of change and new beginnings. Nobody would accept him regardless. He shakes his head violently not want to think anymore, he flushes red at the thought of him pretending. 

Hastily Kai pulls out his phone, knowing this will be a good distraction for him, he clicks on the latest call and waits for the ring to die out. He knew Donghae would be too busy fucking some other slut like himself, but he also knew he needed to dislodge his thoughts. 

The call goes to voice mail and Kai beings to unravel, he quickens his step and starts to click on his other contacts. You’re Sehun’s fake boyfriend. His breathing is rapid and shallow. “Come on, come on. Pick up, pick up.”

Kai felt like a cluster bomb exploded into his brain, everything hit him rapidly at once. Fake, fake, fake. The negative thoughts kept coming like waves on rocks. It’s a fake relationship. He can feel himself going into panic as he presses another contact. “What the fuck? why isn’t anyone answering!” He could feel it, building like an unstoppable snowball in the pit of his stomach. 7 days left and Sehun will forget about you.

“Kai? Is that you?” 

Kai stops completely and turns to the voice only to see the last person on earth he would want to look at, let alone talk. Yifan was sitting outside the convenience store in a green tracksuit with what looked like ramen and a bottle of soda. 

He is so used to pretending, that the arrogant and cold exterior he protects himself with immediately takes over. His brain goes into autopilot, surprising all of the pent up anxiety from earlier for a later breakdown surely. 

Acting surprised, Kai walks over to Yifan and sits down across from the elder, his legs wobbly and shaky. 

“What are you doing here all alone, at what, 4 in the morning?” Kai questions his voice surprisingly steady. 

Yifan knows that he should have smacked Kai across the head the moment he saw him for what he had done to his Cafe. However, after Kai’s outburst, Minseok got into a depressing slum, moping over how he is never going to see Kai again and Yifan can’t take another depressed Minseok for much longer. 

“I got hungry and was out of ramen.” Yifan shrugs indifferently, staring at Kai’s state.

Under any other circumstance, Kai would have walked past Yifan, maybe throw a few insults as well. However, nobody was picking up Kai’s persistent calling and Yifan just happened to be here right before Kai goes into overload completely. 

“You couldn’t have eaten it at home?” Kai scoffs eyeing the large plastic ball but Yifan tsk-tsks at the comment. 

“It tastes way better when you eat it at the store, everyone knows that.” 

Kai keeps hum, eyeing Yifan’s plastic bag, knowing its probably filled with snacks and he can’t help but imagine all of his own favourite snacks. He’s used to hunger, but that does mean he doesn’t get cravings. He’s good at control, that’s what he tells himself. 

“What are you doing wondering the streets alone like this?” Yifan leans back watching Kai’s mouth twist into a nasty scowl. 

“Not what you think,” Kai sharply answers, as Yifan purses his lips for being called out, but Kai doesn’t have much energy to fight tonight, he pulls out his phone and setting it on the plastic picnic table. “Not tonight anyway.” 

Yifan remembers their first encounter and lets out a small chuckle at the memory. The cafe was closed early and Yifan came by to discuss with Minseok about finance, however, what he didn’t expect to see was Minseok aiding the cut on Kai’s upper cheek and slip lip, with Kai flinching at the ointment looking roughed up. Yifan made his presence known and asked what is going on. 

"Minseok began explaining how Kai got hit by another guy in a nearby alleyway and came over. Yifan won’t forget the state that Kai was in, how his clothes seemed almost near tattered and over-sized for his scrawny body, but what was so memorable was how heated Kai’s glare was towards Yifan, that he took a step back. 

'What? You've never seen a rent-boy get roughed up before? Take a good, hard fucking look bitch.' Kai snapped at him, and Yifan took a step towards the youngster ready to smack him. 

However, before anything could escalate Minseok stepped between them trying to stop the fight from occurring and glances at Yifan pleadingly to not do anything irrational. On the other hand, Kai was furious at the world for being so ruthless and cruel, Minseok usually calmed him and was tender towards him but Yifan was unknown territory, so Kai had his defences up and spat where Yifan was standing, blood mixed with saliva splattered Yifan’s shoes. 

“Get out of my cafe!” Yifan hissed, watching Kai wipe his lips with the sleeve of his torn jumper smearing blood over it. 

“No don’t go! Stop it, Yifan. He’s a kid for god’s sake.” Minseok tries to mediate but it falls on deaf ears. 

“Fucking gladly.” Kai snarled, walking past the pair but not before knocking over several glass cake cases to the grounds as Yifan yells some profanity but Kai is already slipped out of the door and is one with the night. 

Yifan rubs his eyes with his thumb and index at the memory, letting out a small scoff that Kai quirked his brow at but didn’t comment on. Minseok got mad at Yifan for a good week or so until Kai showed up again as a stray cat after that first incident. 

Minseok can’t have children, and after trying most procedures, his girlfriend at the time broke up with him after being together for 5 years. Not wanting to adopt nor wanting any other alternative solution like surrogate or laboratory work, she up and left one day stating she wanted a fulfilling life with someone who wasn't flawed. So, Yifan knew that Minseok treasured Kai dearly, even if the pink-haired boy was a total pain in the ass. 

When Yifan focuses on Kai who has taken the liberty to drink Yifan’s soda, looks back at Yifan daring him to speak against his thievery but Yifan keeps quite and continues to stare. 

“I’ll be adding that to the list of everything you have stolen and broken that belongs to me,” Yifan states in a matter-of-fact. 

“You’ll be waiting a long time because I’m barely covering the motel room cost every night as it is.” 

Yifan can’t help but blurt out, “Where are your parents?” 

Kai doesn’t answer instead he reaches over to grab Yifan’s ramen, glancing at the man. “Is this chicken flavoured?” 

Yifan is not backing down because he is gripping the rip of the ramen bowl tightly and looks at the pink haired Kai pointedly. “I’ll buy you a week’s worth of ramen, just entertain my questions.” 

Kai flashes Yifan a mocking smile and yanks the ramen bowl towards him forcefully. 

“I’m always entertaining someone, aren’t I?” Kai stares at the soggy ramen, stabbing them with the chopsticks in contempt. 

“Wasting money on alcohol, drugs and poker,” Kai answers indifferently, inhaling a mouthful of ramen. “That’s what my dad’s probably doing. Mum went to get some milk from the corner store, we’re still waiting for the milk.” 

As Kai munches on the soggy noodles he glances at Yifan and sees the older man’s face is full of guilt and immediately Kai throws the chopsticks into the bowl, shoving it back to its rightful owner unbothered if the soup spilt. 

“I’m not some type of charity case! I’m not broken, I don’t need anyone’s help. I’m doing fine, so fucking stop looking at me like that.” Kai spits in annoyance, eyes blazing daring Yifan to contradict him. 

“You make it really hard for someone to feel anything other than hate when they look at you.” Yifan crosses his arms over his chest and continues. “I don’t understand how Minseok deals with your shit on a daily basis.” 

“Yeah?” Filled with hostility Kai retorts fierily. “Well, I don’t understand how he deals with your shit on a daily basis either!” 

A laugh erupts out of Yifan at Kai’s childish reaction, actually covering his mouth from his loud guffawing. Kai moodily grabs the noodles back glaring at Yifan momentarily before inhaling the rest of the ramen without really tasting it. A bad habit he acquired when he used to eat from restaurants left-over trash. 

After settling down Yifan prods Kai with another inquiry. “How do you know Suho’s little brother?” 

Pursing his lips, Kai leans back pulling both his legs against his chest and wrapping his arms around his knees. “I didn’t realise this was 21 questions.” 

“Every time you answer a question, I’ll take one thing off the list of shit you broke and stole.” 

“And what makes you think I’ll tell you the truth?” Kai tilts his head in mild interest. 

Yifan shrugs sipping his drink. “Up to you.” 

“Come on, are you gonna ask or what?” Kai stares at Yifan expressionless. 

“So how do you know Suho’s little brother?” Yifan asks before Kai could have a sudden change of heart and storm off but not before surely knocking over his stuff. 

Kai remains passive as he replies, almost robotic. “Sehun pays me to be his pretend boyfriend, but without the benefits which are decent.” 

Even as Kai explains this he can’t help but reminisce over tonight and his impromptu kiss. His mistake. He was foolish, too caught up in the facade that he at some point blurred the lines between genuine feelings and acting. 

Yifan brings him back to reality with another question, “Why can’t you get a normal job? Instead of this…” Yifan gestures at Kai’s whole area as Kai stretches his legs across the table tipping his chair back as he focuses on Yifan. 

“I tried stripping, money isn’t that good compared to this plus I get to pick my clients,” Kai raises a brow as if its self-explanatory. “And, it’s pretty hard to find a job when you don’t even own an ID, haven’t finished high school and got dyslexia.” 

If Yifan is shocked he doesn’t show it, and as an afterthought, Kai adds. “Oh, and apparently I’m difficult.” 

Yifan suppresses a scoff as he takes another sip of his soda. “You don’t say.” 

Kai rolls his eyes about to speak, but his phone is buzzing. He snatches it off the table swiftly answering, his voice immediately quieter. “Hey, what? yeah, I’m still wearing your shirt. I just wanted to ask, uh, when you want it back, hm, now? I, I don’t think I can come over tonight—“ Kai pauses glancing at Yifan who is looking at him fixedly. 

Kai surprisingly felt a lot better hanging out with Yifan, he didn’t need a toxic diversion anymore. “Yeah, it’s a long walk to your place— double the usual? uh yeah, I’m near the metropolitan street. Are you drunk? don’t tell me you’re driving— okay, okay. I’ll-I’ll be there in 5 minutes. Yeah, bye.” 

Kai ends the call and looks at Yifan with an unreadable expression. Kai would usually be venomous ready to pounce if someone dared to question him but not tonight. Another beat of silence passes and Kai can’t handle it, the air is suffocating him so he stands up. 

“So, fuck you, I’m done and I need to go.” Kai declares casually, about to walk away but Yifan speaks. 

“Go to where exactly? It’s way past midnight.” 

Both Yifan and Kai know where, but Yifan wanted Kai to say it out loud. To realise how ridiculous he is being, how much life he has ahead of him. Wanting Kai to feel something other than a quick fuck. But since Yifan is playing stupid, Kai mimics him. 

“And? A bed is calling my name tonight,” Kai replies flatly, smiling tightly as the corners quiver. “No rest for the wicked right?” 

It is rare for Kai to call his clients first, it’s usually them. Especially if its Donghae, who is quite spontaneous with his methods of pleasure. He is one of Kai’s rougher clients, but he’s a big tipper. Kai knows Donghae is drunk, he could hear the man’s slurring, and he hates it because Donghae doesn’t know when to stop when he had a few too many drinks. 

Yet Kai won’t say no to money and he most certainly won’t explain himself for anyone. However, Kai knows if he stays Yifan might ask questions he doesn’t want to answer because he won’t have an answer for them. That’s what terrified Kai. 

So Kai does what he’s known best for, disappear. 

(—————)

It was 9:15 AM and the infamous apartment was uncharacteristically quiet, well, quieter than usual. Everyone seemed to have some type of alcohol-infused ache. Baekhyun passed out on the couch the previous night is struggling to get out up, Kyungsoo is somewhere deep inside of the apartment no one daring to look for him, Jongdae is in the bathroom showering and Chanyeol was about to leave for university with a coffee thermos in hand and upon opening the door he flinches at the figure on the other side. 

“Woah, what happened to you?” Chanyeol gapes at Kai’s horrendous sight, shocking all of the sleep away. 

Kai’s entire left eyeball is coloured a deep red causing his vision to be foggy, due to breaking a blood vessel. Even with Donghae’s hood pulled over his head, the fingernail scratches on his neck are obvious and harsh-looking, not to mention his bruised cut lip curtsey of Donghae’s vigorous nipping and biting when he kissed Kai quite forcefully. 

“I got mugged,” Kai explains deadpanned, his voice coarse like fragmented rocks grinding against each other, somehow complimenting his lethargic complexion and raised veins. 

Chanyeol ushers him in, yelling out Sehun’s name. 

“Why didn’t you call anyone? or come around sooner? What are you doing here? you should be at home resting. I could have made you some miso soup, even thought it’s not that great but I try, and well Kyungsoo says it’s the heartfelt effort that matters, but that one time, I wanted to add a twist by putting a pig’s heart into the soup—“ 

“What happened?” Sehun cuts Chanyeol’s monologue, pulling Kai further into the apartment by his wrists, frenzied at Kai’s appearance.

“Got mugged.” Kai answers indifferently, he just wants to sleep. He is so beyond exhausted.

The only reason he came was that Sehun had an exam at 10 in the morning, and Kai promised he was going to drop him off at university. However, Donghae wasn’t part of that sequence and inevitably ruined the whole ordeal. 

“Why didn’t you call me? or the police!” Sehun scolds distraught at Kai’s bedraggled state. He tenderly touches around Kai’s neck but Kai flinches hissing at the contact. 

“It’s still fresh,” Kai mutters irritated, flicking Sehun’s palm away. 

Sehun frowns dropping his hovering hands momentarily. “I thought it happened last night?” 

Kai momentarily glares at Sehun, tugging at his hood further wanting to disappear. “Are you really going to nit-pick my words right now?” 

“Sorry, sorry,” Seheun holds up his hands in surrender, gently touching the area around the cut lip. “Wait here, I think I got an ointment somewhere.” 

As soon as Sehun disappeared, Kai felt exposed again. Unshielded. He could feel everyone’s eyes on him and it was not pleasant. Not this time. He watches Baekhyun who is wrapped in a bundle of blankets on the couch scrutinise him. 

“I have to get going before I miss my train, but I hope you feel better.” Chanyeol pats Kai’s shoulder before heading out, unaware of Kai’s grimacing.

“Those don’t look like injuries you would get from a mugging,” Baekhyun declares calmly, sitting up from his previous position his hair in 101 directions. “Are you sure you didn’t get into a fight with someone in a bed?” 

Kai doesn’t reply, under any other circumstance he would have said something spiteful but right now, all he needs is sleep. He glimpses at Sehun emerge from the hallway with a small blue squeeze tube holding it in the air like the Olympic touch victorious. “Got it!” 

Before Sehun has the chance to squeeze out its contents, Kai can’t handle Baekhyun’s staring any longer and steps back gravitating near the front door. “Later. Now come on, let’s go to your stupid exam.” 

“It won’t take a second, let me put it so it does not scar. Please? It doesn’t hurt,” Sehun’s protests were ignored by Kai, grabbing Sehun’s backpack from the floor. “Okay, it stings, but only for a few seconds. Kai, listen if it hurts you can decide what—“

“Fine fine!” Kai snaps his eyes sharp like knives and Sehun can’t help but tense up at the sight. “But on the bus, you can put it on the bus. Okay?” 

Sehun nods his head pleased, and takes his backpack from Kai’s grasp telling him he shouldn’t be carrying anything in his condition and Kai scoffs but says no more. 

Their walk to the bus-stop was quiet yet comforting. They didn’t need to exchange words to find peace in the other person’s company. Nevertheless, Sehun was a bleeding heart, especially for his fake-boyfriend. He blames himself wishing he had insisted harder on letting Kai stay the night. He didn’t mind sharing his bed, it was General Kittens McMittens who hard the issue with sharing. 

“I’m sorry, I should’ve been more firm with you last night on staying over.” Sehun lets out a sigh watching his ghosty breathe travel ahead of them. “Maybe then you wouldn’t have been hurt at all.”

“I didn’t want to stay, had a lot of my mind.” Kai shakes his head and winces as it weighed 100KG. “So, stop being annoying because I blame myself and not you, Sunshine.” 

As they sat down, Sehun pretended to look at the trees nearby them, but secretly is studying Kai and how difficult it was for him to sit with ease. “I feel so bad for telling you to come, why would you even come if you got hurt? I would have come over and looked after you.” 

Kai keeps hum but the comment did warm his heart. He could have called and skipped, it wasn’t a big deal but Kai knew if he went back to his motel room after Donghae’s roughhousing, he might’ve done something terrible, so instead Kai wanted to go back to his fantasy world where he had a loving boyfriend, a bunch of friends and a demanding college life. He let himself indulge into the facade since he’s fairly fragile after last night’s ordeal.

Sehun didn’t know what else he could do to ease Kai’s hurt, so he simply held the latter’s hand tightly and was surprised he didn’t get shrugged off. Instead, Kai squeezed Sehun’s palm as an indication of gratitude. 

When the bus finally arrives, Sehun has decided on a mini-plan. Sehun is so accustomed to being lead by people, following their desires and dreams instead of his own just to avoid conflict that he’s on autopilot in that area. But not today. 

Sehun is going to take some control and initiative, pulling himself from the backseat and putting himself into the driver’s seat. To some, it seems like a simple act, almost silly to even make a big deal over it. But with Sehun’s social anxiety and esteem, it’s tough for him to be out of the box. 

Clasping his hand over Kai’s securely, he pulls Kai of the bus bench and into the marching line for the bus. 

“Two tickets please.” Sehun requests firmly upon their turn, scanning his student card against the machine with Kai’s sluggish body standing behind Sehun. With Kai resting his head briefly against Sehun’s back, watching his fake-boyfriend and the driver exchange cash. Sehun freezes at the contact but forces himself to go lax, reminding himself how it’s normal to have a platonic physical touch. 

Putting the change in his back pocket, Sehun guides Kai through the aisle scanning the seats and finds an empty pair. “You should sit by the window,” He letting go of Kai’s hand but Kai snatches for it back, desperately and drags Sehun to sit beside him. 

Kai never thought he would have to depend on anyone, he was used to looking after himself since he was a child. He would cook for himself, dress, keep himself clean all at the age of 6. Kai didn’t need to rely on anyone. But Sehun is making him experience mixed feelings, and Kai secretly likes it. There’s something about Sehun, a slight coyness and a never-ending sweetness. So what if Kai wanted to latch onto Sehun, be near him it made Kai at ease. Kai would never admit it, but Sehun has become his safety net. And if holding hands made Kai less edgy then so be it. 

If Sehun was taken back by Kai’s sudden clinginess, he doesn’t comment on it. Instead, he grips Kai’s palm and mentally congrats himself on completing this task. 

Usually, Sehun’s apprehensiveness and overthinking went hand in hand, creating a disastrous combo. But Sehun pushed pasted his stomach turning in an unfriendly way and how his mouth ran dry and pushed away all of the million unhelpful thoughts at once in his brain as if they were static. It’s very difficult for him to do certain things, but right now he felt accomplished. 

Not wanting to lose his momentum, Sehun pulls out the small ointment tube from his pocket and moves his body toward Kai’s. 

“Come here.” Sehun beckons Kai softly, as the pink-head pulls away from the window and looks at Sehun grumpily pulling his hood back revealing his dishevelled rosy curly mop. 

A smile spread across Sehun’s face at Kai expression and he can’t help but think it’s cute. He pretends he’s so tough, look at him. 

Sehun applies the cream onto Kai’s neck tenderly, afraid to press too hard that it would cause Kai pain but Kai keeps his reactions to a minimum, far too focused on Sehun’s close approximately to him, especially his face. 

Kai studies Sehun’s features. He takes in Sehun’s faint freckles around his nose, the small scar on his cheekbone, his long lashes, his nose slope and most of all his lips. How Sehun’s lips were a pale pink that reminded him of a rosebud. 

He stared at how Sehun was biting his bottom lip in concentration. Kai wanted to feel Sehun’s lips against his, although Kai’s were rough and perhaps Sehun wouldn’t like them, voluntarily. Too enchanted, Kai notices a second too late that he’s been staring openly and Sehun caught him in the act, flustering the pink-head and letting out a sweet laugh. 

“That’s enough.” Kai holds Sehun’s wrist back, seconds away from applying to ointment onto his cut lip. Flashbacks of their kiss flood his mind and Kai realises he is out of his element. He has been ever since he started hanging around Sehun. 

Sehun nods and pulls away, Kai tugs his hood over his head muttering his thanks to Sehun grouchily. The rosy-head is about to glower at Sehun, ready to pick a fight but then it happened. 

Sehun gives Kai a smile that just seems so genuinely wholesome with the right touch of shyness that unexpected warmth rushes through him. That Kai can do nothing but cross his arms and look away trying to find a distraction at the outside world.

“Is he blushing?” Sehun mutters under his breath, amazed that he’s seeing this soft side of Kai, and fights back another smile that wants to break out. 

After composing himself, Kai side-eyes Sehun before turning his body back at Sehun’s general direction. Sehun holds out the cream to Kai. “Don’t forget to use it, so nothing scars.” 

“Thanks,” Kai accepted, shoving the cream into his pocket and leans back. “So, did you study for this exam?” 

Sehun throws his hands in exaggeration, getting a supportive nod from Kai to continue. “Like you wouldn’t believe, I’ve been studying for this for a week straight, this exam has 40% of the overall score, and the other 60% is in other work since this course doesn’t have a final so it’s a bit worrying since everything you do in class is graded. Got to be on my tip-top shape, y’ know?” 

Looking over at Kai to interject, Sehun finds he had fallen asleep. Kai’s head is against the window with his crossed arms loosened and his face exhausted. So, Sehun carefully tilts Kai’s head onto his shoulder instead, knowing how bumpy the roads could be and he doesn’t want Kai to wake up from that. 

Satisfied, Sehun carefully pulls out some index cards from his backpack’s outer pocket and began to revise. Kai’s entire body is leaning against Sehun’s at this point, who’s getting a whiff of smoke and freshly cut grass from Kai. The pair continue their commute to university, untroubled. 

(—————)

Back at the apartment, wrapped in a bundle of blankets on the sofa, almost hidden at first glance is the ever so hungover Baekhyun. He knows something major is going on with Kai, but he doesn’t have the energy to create, let execute a diabolical plan against the pink head. 

Instead, his current and only focus is to get up from the sofa and make himself a 5-star breakfast after last night’s shenanigans. 

“Ugh, I think I pulled a muscle or five.” He grunted pulling himself out of his makeshift blanket-mountain and lies on the floor, staring at the ceiling reminiscing over his life choices and last night’s drunk hostility. 

His mind drifts to the first encounter he had with Jongdae. It was at a college party, cliche as it sounds, but Baekhyun was placed as the designated mother and he wasn’t allowed to drink — He didn’t have a choice, he lost in rock, paper, scissors. Jongdae was the one that came up to him and introduced himself. 

They sat outside on the wet grass and talked about life. They talked for hours, discussing their big dreams and how they plan to take over the planet. By the end of the night, when the party cleared and most people left, Baekhyun explained how he needed to get his friends back to their shared apartment. Jongdae volunteered to help and the rest was history. 

“Until it wasn’t,” Baekhyun whispered solemnly, placing his palm over his forehead sighing. 

He knows how cruel he has been with Sehun. It’s many a reason to why Baekhyun is being horrid to the younger male. The biggest one is that Sehun’s related to Jongdae. He understands that Sehun is stuck between the crossfire of the relationship, or what’s left of it. Baekhyun doesn’t have a healthy emotional outlet, and he knows that it’s wrong, but he gains some type of satisfaction in Sehun’s reactions as if it’s Jongdae who’s he is hurting. And Sehun being the sweet-soul he is, lets it all pass and it infuriates Baekhyun on why the youngster lets it all slide.

Baekhyun loves Sehun dearly, but after the breakup with Jongdae, their friendship has taken a different, strained route where Sehun treads on eggshells around the latter in hope to not cause any more pain and Baekhyun can’t stand it. He understands he’s at fault fully, and yet he is bothered by how easily Sehun is an accepter of bad behaviour, bad decisions and bad people. 

“Not my fault he’s spineless,” Baekhyun grumbles meanly, finally sitting up pushing his hair out of his eyes. “He makes it easy. Ugh! What the fuck is wrong with me?” Baekhyun presses his palms against his eyes and kicks his legs, irked by stupid behaviour. 

Baekhyun pulls himself up fully, running his hand through his hair a nervous habit of his and heads to the open kitchen. He beginning his hangover breakfast by pulling out his ingredients to make some scrambled eggs and clam soup.

Unknowing to Baekhyun, Jongdae is hovering in the living room with a towel wrapped around his neck, freshly out of the shower and dressed in Kyungsoo’s clothes. Jongdae lets himself observe a busy Baekhyun. He thinks over last night’s mishap and how insecure Baekhyun was, breaking out of his tough exterior.

Jongdae knows that he is to blame for creating this monstrous, nasty side of Baekhyun. The truth was, he didn’t know what to do when he realised their relationship has been going strong for 2 years. He remembers their anniversary night when he did the unthinkable. His throat throbbed so hard, he remembers it made him almost throw up. He wanted to explain to Baekhyun that this relationship isn’t like any other one he’s been in. 

Jongdae rubs his nape in guilt, he remembers what he wished to tell Baekhyun but he never did. Instead, he said he’s breaking up and left. Jongdae wanted to explain that he was afraid. He wants to say, he used to get tired of sex, conversations and getting to know people but with Baekhyun it’s nothing like that. He likes Baekhyun far too much that it scared him. Jongdae pushes himself off the wall and starts to walk into the kitchen. 

He wants to explain that he’s scared of falling in love, of craving Baekhyun every second of every day, of needing him and being addicted to him. Jongdae’s gaze on Baekhyun is soft, how Baekhyun’s lips are chapped and his hair is overly-fluffy and Jongdae’s heart is struck yet again at how lethal Baekhyun looks. He wants to clarify that he was scared of missing Baekhyun more than he could handle, of losing him and himself in Baekhyun. 

Jongdae needs to right the wrong he created. 

“Hello.” Jongdae watches Baekhyun flinch, nearly dropping the stirring spoon. 

Baekhyun doesn’t reply immediately, instead he taste-tests the clam soup (after all, they need to use all of the clams before they’re rotten — last time Sehun is going to the market) and then goes back to stirring. 

“Fucking hell,” Baekhyun begins all too calmly, as if he didn’t get kicked out for basically attacking Jongdae and everyone around them. “So you weren’t a hallucination?” 

Jongdae is wary of Baekhyun’s cool as a cucumber act and goes along with it for the sake of the latter. “Nope.” 

Baekhyun doesn’t reply if anything he doesn’t give any reaction. His goal is to chop up all of the vegetables he’s laid out and Jongdae watches over his ex-boyfriend’s multitasking as he leans against the counter. 

“I’m sorry for everything I’ve put you through, and I was scared of—“ Jongdae gets cut off abruptly by Baekhyun who hasn’t even looked at Jongdae yet. 

“I’m tired Jongdae,” Glancing briefly at Jongdae, before continuing to chop. “I’m tired of your endless apologies, I get that’s what you think I wanna hear and it’s not.” 

“Then what do you want to hear?” Jongdae asked, rubbing his fingers together in an act of apprehension. 

Baekhyun stops completely and turns to face Jongdae, really looking at him for the first time in a while. He feels a rush of emotions through his bloodstream and yet he doesn’t act on any of his impulses. It’s been a long time since they’ve been this close to each other, this ‘civil’ and Baekhyun can't stand how handsome Jongdae had gotten the past few months, so he looks away. “I don’t want to hear anything. Please.” 

Jongdae nods his head in affirmation and tenderly takes the knife from Baekhyun’s hand and bumps him away from the cutting board, as he officially takes over the job. “You still like them sliced not diced, right?” 

Baekhyun doesn’t reply, and Jongdae continues to slice the remainder of the vegetables. Baekhyun walks over to Jongdae’s other side and begins to pour the clams in the foaming broth and the pair work side by side in comfortable silence. 

This brings memories for the pair, as it was one of their traditions — cooking on the weekends. Even if not being the weekend, Baekhyun’s chest tightens at the fond memory. 

Baekhyun always liked how they would always try new things, gobble on food in new places and going somewhere they haven’t been to. Baekhyun loved when Jongdae cooked for him, he’s the best chef in Baekhyun’s eyes, expect when Jongdae used to ask him to do the dishes. 

Baekhyun lets himself smile at the warm moments, staring at the foggy soup as if it’s some magical portal for the past. Because the memories keep flooding his visions and Baekhyun can’t stop them. 

“Hurry up, I don’t want the soup to end up cold.” Baekhyun scolds, but his voice is hoarse and breaking. 

Jongdae glances at Baekhyun cracking the eggs onto the heated frying pan, grabbing the chopped vegetables and tossing them into the pan. Jongdae pours the soup into the bowls he found from one of the cupboards, taking a glimpse at Baekhyun nearly finished with the scrambled eggs. “Can we talk about last night?” 

Baekhyun lets out an exhausted sigh, his headache isn’t a comparison to the heartache he’s going through. “Do you want toast with your scrambled eggs?” 

Jongdae hums in consent, as Baekhyun begins to plate the eggs while Jongdae puts the bowls on the table alongside the utensils. After seating themselves across each other, Baekhyun takes the initiative in pouring himself a cup of water from the jug on the table. 

“So about last night,” Jongdae begins somewhat nervously, with an unbothered Baekhyun munching on his food. 

“I know I’m at fault for persistently reaching out to you, but you deserve to know why I was an unbelievable jerk and did that to you. I know what I did hurt you incredibly but we both need some closure, especially if you decide by the end of this talk you don’t want to try ‘us’ again.” 

Baekhyun stuffs his mouth with another bite of eggs and rolls his eyes. To Jongdae that was a green light to continue. His chance to put everything out in the open and on the table. 

“You and I know your behaviour since the breakup has been chaotic at best, and toxic at worst. You are literally hurting everyone, including yourself. I know I’m the source behind that, but you aren’t a child to be acting this reckless. You and I know this. Last night, someone could have seriously been hurt Baek, you included.” Jongdae leans back with a small frown drawn on his lips. “I needed time to process all of the unconditional love you gave me, I have never felt so much wholesomeness in my entire life, and maybe i am the cliche of divorced parents and trust issues but I could never find any fault in our relationship and that’s what terrified me. I was and still am scared of not being enough and of you seeing my insufficiency in your eyes.” 

Baekhyun keeps quiet, pretending he’s too busy eating to be focusing on the conversation but his ears are open. Jongdae takes a deep breath because this is it. This is the moment he’s been dreading, to make himself vulnerable like an exposed wire. 

“I love how your arms find its way through my waist, how you wrap your legs on me so I won’t get up so early, or when you call me at night because you can’t sleep. I like the way you laugh, it’s short-lived but loud. I find it funny that you get mad when I can’t decide where to eat, but after filling up you go from your worst mood to the best. You’re so loud when you sleep, but somehow I find it comforting, and now your snoring is my lullaby that tucked me in.” 

Baekhyun momentarily glares at Jongdae and saying with a mouth full and food flying everywhere. “I do not snore.” 

Jongdae barks out a laugh and continues his smile slowly slipping off his face. “You are my best days Byun Baekhyun. You are until you were..I’m so fucking sorry. I don’t want to look back in five years time and think, ‘We could have been magnificent, but I was afraid.’ In five years I want to tell of how fear tried to cheat me out of the best thing in life, and I didn’t let it.” 

Jongdae watches Baekhyun watch him with an unreadable expression and gives Baekhyun quivering smile, not realising that he’s teared up, quickly wiping his damp eyes and finalises. “I…I hope we can work something out, I’ll be grateful and understanding of your choice. And, thanks for finally listening to me.” 

Baekhyun doesn’t answer, and Jongdae doesn’t expect him to just thankful that he finally said his piece. The broken couple ate the rest of their food in wholesome silence. 

Kyungsoo walks into the living room ready to yell at Baekhyun to wake up but doesn’t spot the brunet, instead, he spots the pair eating civilly across from each other. Kyungsoo scoffs and begins to walk backwards, before fully turning around heading to his bedroom. “It’s too early for this shit.” 

(———)

Sehun has been reading up on ways on how to wake up someone without them lashing out, or better not knowing you woke them up. He will admit his search was somewhat specific to a certain someone. From his researching, Sehun concluded the following. He wouldn’t dare dump water on Kai, knowing the rosy-head would probably drown him in the Han River as punishment. So he decided on a more alternative method that didn’t include pinching, shaking, poking, nudging or any form of contact. Just in case Kai is startled like the last time. 

Sehun pulls out his phone and clicks on the sound app the website recommended, placing the phone next to Kai’s ear and presses the waterfall effect in hopes of pulling Kai out of deep sleep. Their university stop is one stop away. However, what Sehun didn’t anticipate that the sound was on full volume, frightening Kai awake and causing Sehun to flinch at the loud volume which resulted in him dropping his phone on the ground. 

Sehun freezes, side-eyeing Kai who is looking around frazzled and quite possibly ready to fight. Sehun needing to avert the situation pretends he isn’t the one behind all of this. 

“What kind of sound system does this bus have?” Sehun pretends to act outraged, looking around with Kai. “Oh my goodness, I almost had a panic attack!” 

Kai who is still very much sleep-deprived and confused nods alongside Sehun trying to make sense of what just happened. Sehun stands up hurriedly, tugging Kai to stand. 

“This is our stop, let's go.” Sehun rushes ahead of Kai, spotting his phone at the beginning of the aisle since it slid down, grabbing it skilfully and hobs out of the bus with Kai marching behind him still dazed by what happened moments before. 

Sehun keeps glancing at Kai wondering he cracked the deviance code and realises it was Sehun who woke him up. But Kai was too enchanted by the university campus taking it all in, what he would have been a part of. 

Shaking the thought as quickly as it came. “What do you study? We never really discussed it. Only my fake, numero-something major.” 

Sehun lets out a genuine laugh. “Neuroscience you mean. I study English Literature. I want to be a teacher.” 

Kai hums in acknowledgement, imagining Sehun teach to young kids and being liked by the boys because he’s so tall and by the girls because he’s a gentle soul. Sehun clears his throat and Kai quirks a brow interested. “What?”

“I wanna be something else, but promise not to laugh,” Sehun pulls out his pinky finger and Kai smacks it away with a roll of eyes. 

“I won’t. Spit it out, sweets.” 

“I want to be a writer,” Sehun can’t bare to look at Kai’s reaction, immediately downsizing his dream. “But that won’t ever happen, the rates and percentages of failed writers are so high that it would be a miracle for my work to even be considered for a publishing house, let alone a successful book.” 

“Stop down talking yourself,” Kai scolds, he would shake some sense into Sehun however, he doesn’t have the energy to do so. “You won’t do much with life if you already gave up. Fucking hell sweets, can you try at least to believe in yourself?” 

Sehun’s blush seared through his cheeks and for a minute he though his face was on fire. He suddenly felt awkward, demure and coy; even going as far as attempting to hide his rosy features behind his fingers. “It…It doesn’t really matter, I would be content with teaching..” 

Kai lets out a small laugh of disbelieve before coughing harshly. “I’ll read your stupid book when, not if it gets published.” 

In Kai’s mind, he is reminded of his learning disability once more. He can barely get through a menu let alone a novel, but if it makes Sehun feel good about himself Kai will push himself to do it. “But, I’m a very, very slow reader. So, I’ll take my sweet time alright?” 

Sehun simply nods his head eagerly, as Kai hums in approval. 

Sehun’s throat is dry and he can’t bring himself to say anything. His stomach is doing backflips with Kai’s kind words. He didn’t expect him to really care, after all, whomever he told his true aspirations just looked at him unimpressed. 

Kai reaches out to hold Sehun’s hand like second nature to him but stops himself at the flashback of last night’s kiss lingering onto his mind. Then Donghae and he can’t help but shiver. 

Kai wants to forget what happened to him, what Donghae did to him. He understands he sometimes gets bad clients, but not Donghae and most certainly not as bad as last night. After Kai spotted Donghae standing outside his car, he took the initiative in driving them back to Donghae’s penthouse. Donghae was complaining mess, talking how he lost a big client at dinner and he might have tried to drown his sorrows with alcohol. And he needed to release some stress, and Kai seemed to have called at the perfect time. 

Donghae was rougher than usual with Kai. Ignoring his pleads of taking a break, tightly holding Kai down immobilising the squirming youngster from underneath him to move. Donghae kept on striking Kai every time he tried to talk some sense into him, not to mention the endless begging. At some point, Kai passed out from the severe manhandling, and when he woke up Kai would usually stay for a while for the aftercare since Donghae makes him breakfast and talks to him affectionately. 

But Kai woke up with fear. He watched Donghae stand before him with shame printed across his face at the sight of what he had done to Kai. Kai flinched when Donghae tried to approach him, even pressing himself against the bed’s headboard with terror in his eyes. Donghae, although feeling genuine shame run through his veins and knew what he did, was wrong, still took a defensive stance — after all, in his mind, he was a savvy businessman who wouldn’t lower himself to someone of Kai’s nature even with the knowledge of his wrong-doing. 

So, Donghae threw at Kai a few extra bills like he had promised, onto the bed. Donghae began explaining there is food in the kitchen but Kai didn’t want to listen so he scrambled frantically to collect the money and dressed with an evident tremor throughout his entire body after last night’s unrelenting and rigorous, back to back fucking. 

Unknowing to anyone, Kai stood outside the apartment for a long time trying to gather himself together. It took him a while to stop his eyes from tearing up. 

“Kai? Kai!”  
“Huh? What?” 

Sehun stares at Kai with furrowed brows in concern. He wants to help Kai, to stop Kai from being so hostile and hurt like a wild street-cat. Sehun wants to shake some sense into his fake-boyfriend, telling him to take better care of himself. Especially after getting mugged. 

However, Sehun doesn’t speak. Knowing very well how Kai hates confrontation, so instead, he opted to do something better. A surprise lunch. Maybe it will pull Kai out of his slump. He doesn’t like Kai being upset, it upsets Sehun. 

So, acting as if nothing is wrong Sehun repeats his question for the 3rd time. 

“I said, what are you studying?” 

Kai reaches out and holds Sehun’s hand, intertwining their fingers. He needs this, he doesn’t care if it’s wrong and he is being selfish he needs to be close to something that won’t hurt him. “I’m not in college, I didn’t even finish high school.” 

“Oh. Well, what is your work? Is it some type of company? They run a tight ship.” Sehun jokes trying to lighten the mood. 

Kai completely disregards the question. “I want to be a cafe owner.” Like Minseok, but he doesn’t say that. 

The pair finally enter the building, and Sehun guides them through the sea of students and Kai lets himself indulge in his make-believe yet again. Sehun asks him questions about his future cafe, and Kai enjoys it because it’s a dream that might never happen, but unknowing to Sehun he is giving Kai hope. 

“Well, this is me.” 

They stand outside the classroom door. Kai lets go of Sehun’s hand and ruffles his hair. “You will do great, nerd.” 

Sehun’s cheeks heat up at the affectionate touch, and dares to swipe Kai’s hand away. “Nothing wrong with being a nerd.” 

“Never said there was,” Kai lets out his classic smirk, finally easing up.

“Yeah, I know,” Sehun replies lamely, crossing his arms defensively, and Kai can’t help but tease him. 

“It’s sexy.” 

Sehun pinches Kai’s arm and the latter jumps back, barking out a laugh. “Don’t! I’m already nervous!” 

“You’ll be fine, sweets. I’ll wait right over,” Kai scans around and points at the chairs across from them. “There.” 

As Kai begins to walk dutifully over to the chairs, already thinking of taking a power nap. What he doesn’t expect is Sehun back-hugging him tightly. Sehun’s voice is like honey as he whispers.

“Thank you, this means a lot. That you took the time to remember I had a test, let alone take me to my university.” Kai’s chest hurt and it’s not because of the bruises. “You mean a lot to me.” 

Kai doesn’t move, even after Sehun runs off to the exam when he can hear the teacher do the attendance. Kai stays stuck like that frozen as people weave past him trying to get to their respective classes. 

He needed that hug. He couldn’t even remember the last time he had a proper hug, and it makes him tense up. The only person that hugged him is Minseok. It made him think, and he knew he was in the wrong that day when he lashed out at Minseok. He needed to fix his mistake. Now. 

Kai was about to call Sehun telling him he has something to do and won’t be able to wait outside for him but he knows that his phone will probably be on silent. Instead, he opted to text his fake-boyfriend in broken sentences and bad spelling that he needs to go somewhere since he has something important to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All I ask in return for writing is commenting. That's it ♡ 
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> It takes less than a minute to COMMENT on what you liked, your feelings, what you want to happen or think will happen. That is all I ask for, just give me some feedback, please? ♡
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	12. Day 7: Kai (Part 2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, I'm back. Sorry for the two-month hiatus, it's just when you're a dumbass like me who spills water on their laptop and doesn't back up anything and ends up losing everything is a difficult thing. It took me a while to restructure the plot of the entire story again, and rewrite this entire 6.9K chapter. I hope I delivered :) I didn't proof-read it yet, as it's 5 AM and I need to sleep. [Will do so, later on the day] 
> 
> Anywho, please enjoy and indulge yourselves wholeheartedly in this 6.9K chapter :)
> 
> ♡♡♡♡♡
> 
> All I ask in return for writing is commenting. That's it ♡

 

Kai has been standing outside of the cafe for some time, looking through the window watching Minseok work behind the till taking orders with a friendly smile. Kai can’t help but frown in guilt for his irrational behavior the last time he’d seen Minseok.

 

He cares for Minseok dearly, if it hadn’t been for Minseok finding him that fateful night when they met for the first time, Kai might’ve completely given up on humanity. The heavy downpour was something Kai could never forget, nor Minseok’s tender smile.

His mind flashes back to their first encounter, as he glances at the very same cafe stoop where they first met.

_The rainfall was so strong that Kai could barely see. He limped across the slippery sidewalk, his posture weakened by the weight of his soaked clothes. With the moon as his main source of light guiding him fruitlessly in the night. His cheek stung and he could taste his salty tears mixing with the rain._

_It was Kai’s first time to take two clients at once, and he got played by the two men. They promised to give him 100 dollars but instead threw at him 40, telling him he was only a decent fuck. Kai tried to argue but got hit instead. He was so shaken up that he grabbed the crumpled bills and rushed out of the motel room._

_He was now walking the empty streets aimlessly, trying to control his sobs but with the cold icy rain piercing his wet skin it was proven to be a difficult task that resulted in him sitting by the entrance of the closed cafe._

_Unknowingly to Kai, Minseok was double-checking the coffee shop’s inventory before heading upstairs to his apartment above, when a huddling figure outside sitting by the cafe steps caught his eye._

_Minseok rushed to the door, horrified at the mere thought of someone being out at this hour and in this horrid weather. When he opened the door, both himself and Kai were startled by each other. Minseok was taken back at how young Kai’s features looked, while Kai didn’t expect to be ambushed._

_Kai immediately stood up defensively but tripped over his feet causing him to fall onto the wet pavement. Minseok rushed towards him extending a helping hand, that got slapped away._

_“Oh my goodness, I am so sorry I startled you but—“ Minseok’s apology was cut short by Kai’s hoarse voice._

_“Don’t fucking touch me!”_

_“I-I won’t!”_

 

_Kai glances at his scratched palms that broke his fall, then back at Minseok’s anxious face. “What!”_

 

_“I, uh, what are you doing out here? In the freezing cold?” Minseok crouched to Kai’s level, trying to not squint at the rapid raindrops hitting his face._

 

_“None of your fucking business!” Kai roared in outrage, shuffling backward on the ground. “Go away and leave me alone, you perv!”_

 

_“Well, it’s my coffee shop stoop you’re sitting on, so it is my business literally and I live upstairs so I can’t really go,” Minseok stated sheepishly, raising his hands up to show he’s harmless. “It’s raining cats and dogs outside, come inside..please?”_

 

_“I’m not going to fuck you if that’s what you’re aiming at!”_

_“What? God no, I don’t want you to. Like ever.”_

_“Why? I’m not pretty enough to fuck?”_

 

_“That’s not why I don’t want to,” Minseok voice is tender, a complete contrast to Kai’s raspy tone. “I don’t think I would forgive myself if I let you sit out here in this weather. So, please come inside?”_

 

_Kai doesn’t move from his spot, but he hasn’t turned his body away from Minseok nor ran off. So Minseok decided to go back into the cafe, leaving the door open for Kai to follow him in. Minseok’s steps were deliberately small, hoping that Kai hasn’t run off. But the sound of the door closing shut told him otherwise._

 

_“I’m just gonna go and get some towels from my apartment upstairs,” Minseok rushed towards the backdoor but backpedaled to gesture to Kai to sit. “Anywhere you like. Be comfortable.”_

 

_Kai stayed rooted by the door like a wary cat until Minseok disappeared from his viewpoint. He wasn’t exactly sure why he followed the mystery man inside, but he was just too cold and too hungry to care at this point._

 

_So, Kai left his rain puddle that he made by the door and sat in the middle of the cafe, edged on his seat trying to examine all his exits and potential weaponry if he needed to defend himself._

 

_“Okay, I got you a few towels and blankets to keep you warm and semi-dry?” Minseok chatted from the backdoor, finally revealing himself with his arms filled as he plops them on the table. “I’ll make something warm too.”_

 

_“Why the fuck are you helping me?”_

 

_Minseok pauses momentarily, as he side glances Kai. “Because it’s not fair…for you to stay out of the rain while it’s dry here.”_

 

_“Oh yeah? So what do you get out of it?” Kai leans back, pushing his wet hair away from his face causing it to spike up hazardously. “Can’t be nothing, cause nothing is free.”_

 

_Minseok places the two hot mugs alongside the chicken sandwiches on the tray as he makes his way over to Kai. “Why not? Not everyone is horrible and means bad intentions.”_

 

_“And not everyone is nice either, so why are you helping me? Think I’m gonna suck your dick? Fuck you? Are you that desperate?” Kai said harshly, eyeing Minseok with evident caution._

 

_Minseok flinches at the harsh reply and shakes his head softly. “I..uh, I don’t swing that way. Let alone want to have sex with you. I’m just trying to do something good.”_

 

_Kai pushes the garments off the table, letting them all on the extra chairs as Minseok places the tray in their place._

 

_“Well, you shouldn’t,” Kai yanks a towel from the pile on the chair, placing it over his shoulders. “Just because you’re being a good samaritan or something, doesn’t mean I owe you shit.”_

 

_“I know you don’t owe me anything, and I don’t want you to,” Minseok pushes the tray towards Kai. “I’m just someone who’d want you to be safe and sound after all, everybody is a human being. Plus you seem like a good kid.”_

 

_Kai eyes Minseok, trying to confirm his sincereness, and ends up snatching the chicken sandwich as he eats it hurriedly as if someone is about to take it away._

 

_“I’m not a kid, I’m legal.” Kai declared with a mouthful, that makes Minseok smile._

_“You don't look a day over 16.” Minseok picks up his mug to drink._

 

_“What are you a cop?” Kai scoffs immaturely, then pauses thinking over the actual possibility that this could be a trap, and Minseok can’t help but chuckle lightheartedly._

 

_“I assure you I am not a police officer, I’m a barista and own half of this establishment.” Minseok watches Kai squint at him momentarily before continuing to eat. “I swear! It’s not difficult to tell someone who’s young-looking.”_

 

_“Whatever.”_

 

The vivid memory of his and Minseok’s encounter linger freshly in Kai’s mind, as he shakes his head to erase the flashback from his vision and steps inside of the busy cafe.

 

As Kai lines up behind an older couple, his stomach tightens in nerves. He doesn’t know what exactly he wants to say to Minseok, but what he does know that it wasn’t fair to Minseok, who always had his best intentions at heart, for him to have acted so recklessly. As the line moves up and he gets closer to the till which Minseok was occupying with a kind attitude.

 

“Hi, welcome to El Dorado. How can I help—Kai? Woah what happened to your face?”

 

“Uh, hey.” Kai flashed an awkward smile, with his hands tucked behind him. ”Can we like, y' know, talk?”

 

Minseok studies Kai’s red sunken eye and new bruises littered around his neckline momentarily then nods, trying to not go full mother-hen on Kai, so he smiles softly at the youngster to put him at ease.

 

“Wow, I didn’t know you could smile.” Minseok teased.

 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Kai scowled immediately, causing the elder to laugh.

 

“Tao, take over the register for 5 minutes,” Minseok hollers to one of the workers as he looks back at Kai with a genuine grin. “It means you should smile more often, it looks good on you.”

 

“Whatever.”

 

Kai watches Minseok leave his section behind the counter, guiding him to a secluded corner of the cafe as they sit across from each other. Kai gives another tense smile as he tucks his hands under the table, hiding his fidgetiness.

 

“I, uh, I want to apologize, okay!” Kai snaps, his bravado immediately deflating as he slouches back on the chair. “I really am sorry, what I did that day was uncalled. It’s just I don’t like people acting like I am some pitiful charity case waiting for someone to save them. Cause I am not, alright? I save myself, every single time. Even, if it hurts sometimes. Especially then.”

 

Minseok reaches his hand out across the table in an act of compassion, taking a deep breath he starts. “I’m not even going to try to lie. You are like my kid at this point, I care about you so much and all I want is for you to be safe and healthy and happy. I know I have no right at all, that’s why I don’t ask. But the night I found you in the rain, it felt like fate, as silly as it sounds,” Minseok lets out a soft chuckle.

 

“My fiancé of 5 years at the time, broke up with me because we found out I was sterile and she couldn’t handle being with someone faulty. I was in a bad place at the time, so when you showed up…I don’t know, you were like a blessing with a smart-mouth.”

 

Kai glances at Minseok’s open hand, then back at the coffee owner’s face, trying to stay composed and resolute to staring at the table, hard. “I am so sorry, okay Minnie? Please don’t be mad at me. I don’t think I could handle it if you never forgave me. Minnie, please say you accept my apology? Please.”

 

Before Minseok could even utter, Kai’s bruised face scrunches up like a child trying to not sob, clutching Minseok’s hand. The exhaustion and heaviness over the last few days hit Kai in an instant.

 

“You can’t do this to me, Minnie. Please, don’t leave me. I-I promise I’ll be better, okay? I will.” As Kai spoke, his voice started off sharp, but then, he broke down, and before Minseok knew it, Kai was on the verge of tears trying desperately to hide it and keep his face and his words straight and stern.

 

If this was heartbreak, Minseok didn’t want to feel it in his chest a second longer. He grabs Kai’s hand with both hands tightly, forcing the youngster to look at him.

 

“Listen to me, I forgive you. I’m not mad at you or what you did, I get it. You’re practically my kid, I won’t ever, ever leave you. My heart and my doors are always open for you always—oof.” Kai’s tight arms wrapped around Minseok, trying to keep his whimpers quiet, causing Minseok to hug him tighter.

 

“It’s okay, you’re okay.”

 

(—————)

 

The class just ended, and Baekhyun has never felt more grateful for having it in the afternoon after this morning and last night’s mishaps. His glasses stayed on the bridge of his nose securely, but out of habit he pushes them further up, finally exiting the building about to text Kyungsoo he’s on his way to pick him up.

 

Kyungsoo hadn’t witnessed what happened in the kitchen more did he want to that early in the morning. So, he texted Baekhyun later on stating that they needed to speak about Jongdae and what the civil interaction of this morning meant. Baekhyun couldn’t be more anxious about it. After all, Kyungsoo is all bark and all bite when it came down to the nitty-gritty of these types of situations.

 

“Hey, you finished class early.” A familiar voice hollered in delight, and an even more familiar face jumped in front of Baekhyun causing him to almost drop his phone.

 

With narrowed eyes, Baekhyun replies in disdain. “Why are you stalking me, Kim Jongdae?”

 

“I was waiting for you, hardly stalking.” Jongdae smiles, shoving his hands in his back pockets. “Thought we could hang out, and I don’t know, chat?”

 

“And this morning wasn’t enough?” Baekhyun scoffs, sending Kyungsoo a text before shoving his phone in his pockets and proceeds to walk past Jongdae.

 

Slightly taken back by Baekhyun’s behavior, Jongdae jogs to catch up to the latter immediately.

 

“I wanna do right by you Baek, that’s all.”

“Don’t call me that, you lost your privilege for that nickname.”

 

Trying to keep up with Baekhyun’s quick pace, Jongdae asks not easily dismissed. “Can I at least walk you home?”

 

Baekhyun fully stops and faces his ex-boyfriend his lips pursed into a thin, disapproving line. He can feel the tiredness inside of him like a leech, slowly but intentionally draining his energy.

 

“Let’s get two things straight. One, just because you had your little dramatic, self-deprecating monologue on how much you fucked up this shitty morning. And how my unconditional love was somehow fucking bad in a relationship, does not in any way mean that all is well between us.”

 

Baekhyun stares down Jongdae, who has the audacity to stare back, and just like that the energy in Baekhyun dies out completely, not willing to start a petty argument. “You ruined a lot of things for me, Jongdae. So fuck off already, I’m tired.”

 

Jongdae won’t go. He won’t give up, ever since this morning’s events and how Baekhyun was willing to listen to him fully, he knew there was a chance. He won’t have it slip from through his fingers because Baekhyun is hardshell to crack with all of the cold, hard exteriors he’s trying to protect himself. Jongdae understands he’s the reasoning behind it, but he is also the key to unraveling it. He won’t give up on their relationship this quickly nor this easily.

 

So, Jongdae brushes off Baekhyun’s tough act and flashes him a cheeky smile as he walks beside Baekhyun again. “So, what’s the other thing? You said two things.”

 

Baekhyun’s frown deeps into a scowl, as he side-eyes Jongdae. “I’m not going home, that’s the other thing. I’m going to see Kyungsoo at his part-time job, his shift is nearly over. So we, as in him and I, are going home together without you, as in you literally.”

 

“Well, can I, like the real I, walk you to Kyungsoo’s part-time job?” Jongdae requests as he rubs the back of his neck slightly confused. “Did I use the correct pronouns?”

 

Baekhyun stops in his tracks completely, eyes staring ahead at the campus’s greenery. He is done, he’s had it. Baekhyun cant, no won’t keep quiet about his true feelings anymore. Even though he’s been very vocal over his hate-Jongdae-who-ruined-love campaign, since their break up. But, this is his true feelings he’s kept hidden from everyone.

 

Baekhyun just wants to move on in some way or at least stop the insanity that’s been messing him up ever since he found Jongdae this morning. He needs to release the word-vomit he’s been holding back, for himself. He deserves to say his piece.

 

“You know what? Fuck you, Jongdae. Fuck you! You don’t deserve a second chance that easily, who the hell do you think you are?” Baekhyun snaps, his red-rimmed eyes boring into Jongdae’s startled ones.

 

“You didn’t just hurt me, you destroyed me.” Baekhyun’s voice was soft, almost fragile as if it and his heart would break any further. “There were no warning signs. No red flags. Just us. Just you, the man I adored. The man I let sleep in my bed, and know me in intimate ways no one else had ever before. The man I would’ve moved mountains for, had you asked.”

 

The pain portrayed in Baekhyun’s glassy orbs held so much anguish, that Jongdae wished he’d dealt with his trust issues differently. He hated how vulnerable and tenuous Baekhyun shook with.

 

“You fucking ruined me, do you realize that? You walked out on me, without a reason, without an explanation and now, all that I believed about love is up in the air. I’m not sure about anything anymore. I still go to bed every night, going over every detail and wonder what I did wrong or how I could’ve misunderstood. You made me question me, Jongdae.”

 

“Baek I didn’t realize—“ Jongdae’s apology was cut off immediately.

 

“Don’t fucking call me that!” Baekhyun growled in outrage, wiping his damp eyes with the back of his hand. “You don’t deserve shit from me, after everything you put me through these past months you honest to god don’t deserve a damn thing from me! I showered you with nothing but affection, were good together….until we weren’t. You fucking walked out on me on our anniversary, without bothering to tell me why. Was I that unimportant to you, for you to fuck me over this bad Jongdae?”

 

Baekhyun is panting by the end of his rant, everything that has been building up all this time is finally out and Baekhyun feels like he can breathe again. Everything is out now, both sides are on the table whether its fair play or not, is unrelated.

 

Baekhyun walks past Jongdae who is stuck frozen in his spot, and Baekhyun doesn’t feel right. He knows this was the big release he was hoping for, waiting for the moment to yell at Jongdae and feel like justice has been served. But Baekhyun doesn’t feel all of the glory, instead, he feels off.

 

He stops is pace, and turns back to face Jongdae's frozen statue. “Hey!”

 

“Yeah?” Jongdae’s eyes are wild like saucers, his smile is shaky.

 

“You can walk me to Kyungsoo’s job, but that’s it. Kyungsoo doesn’t see you or nothing.” Baekhyun points his index finger at Jongdae non-threateningly. “I don’t think I can handle him and his ego if he finds out about us talking…again.”

 

Warmth spreads across Baekhyun’s chest at the sight, because even though both of them said their piece and the problem was out in the open, along with their feelings Baekhyun can’t help but go to the one thing that matters the most. The matter of the heart. As much as Baekhyun would like to deny it, he still is in love with Jongdae, deeply. And he knows for a fact, that Jongdae is head over heels for him, after this morning’s encounter, he feels it in his heart.

 

As much as things have been ruined between them, Baekhyun was willing for another chance because the bottom line was Baekhyun is choosing to stay with Jongdae for all the wonderful things he’s done right; not the one thing he’s done wrong.

 

“Your wish is my command!” Jongdae chirped gleefully.

 

(—————)

 

Kai walked up to the apartment’s door with lighter steps after his reconciling with Minseok, about to ring the doorbell he realizes the door is not properly shut. With raised brows, he pushed the ajar door further open and sees Sehun figure in the kitchen and just like that, Kai’s guard lowers.

 

Closing the door shut softly, he steps further inside the apartment watching an unaware Sehun cooking the promised lunch surprise that isn’t so much of a surprise since Sehun had to text Kai to come to the apartment for it, but with equal zealous cooking skills.

Kai does not make his presence known immediately, instead, he leans against the wall observing Sehun in his own world. A smile stretches across Kai’s chapped lips, causing the tender tissue to tear but Kai doesn’t bother, he just licks the cut too enchanted by Sehun’s whole being.

 

This moment is one for Kai to keep selfishly for himself. He wants to absorb it completely where nothing is wrong and nothing could be. Kai engulfs himself into his little fantasy game where Sehun is actually his boyfriend and not a client who is paying him for acting. He is so invested by how breathtaking Sehun looks in the kitchen, and how domestic and normal it looks — how he secretly craves for this normalcy.

 

Running his hands through his knotted, pink curls Kai wonders if there was the slightest chance that his fantasy game could become legitimate. He watches Sehun glowing face, measuring how much spaghetti he should put and Kai wishes Sehun would like him. For the real him, not some parts. All of him. All the complexities and vulnerabilities, but Sehun knew that then Kai’s game would come to a stop — game over.

 

Not wanting to dwell on the reasons why it wouldn’t work out, Kai makes himself known by clearing his throat with exaggeration.Sehun flinches and immediately grabs the first thing in his sight which is a garlic press and points it at Kai with fear and determination looking like some startled deer.

 

“Woah flying squirrel, relax.” Kai raised his palms to show surrender with a teasing smirk. “You gonna crush me bit by bit with that garlic presser?”

 

Sehun’s lets out a loud sigh lowering his non-threatening weapon to his side as he looks at Kai unamused. “How did you get it? Are you like a shapeshifter or secretly a ghost who cracked the code on transparency?”

 

“Your everyday Homosapien,” Kai shrugs casually, walking up towards the kitchen standing on the other side of the small kitchen countertop. “Plus, you didn’t close the door properly.” 

 

“Shoot! I could’ve gotten kidnapped or murdered or burgled or like murdered. Wait, I said murdered twice, well I could’ve gotten murdered twice like that movie—“

 

“Or you just left the door kinda open at 4 pm where afternoon crime rates are at their highest peak. So definitely a combination of those three.” Kai nodded his head in affirmation, getting a small push by Sehun across the counter.

 

“Don’t joke! You got burgled last night, it could happen!” Sehun blurred out in defense, arms crossed.

 

Kai’s face fell faster than a corpse in cement boots. He is reminded of last night’s mishap, feeling the wisp of air knocked out of his chest bitterly reminiscing this morning as he ran out of Donghae’s penthouse half-dressed.

 

“Whatever, I’m exhausted,” Kai muttered, his mood shifting drastically, as he walks over across the open space and plops on the navy couch.

 

“Oh no,” Sehun whispered watching Kai tilt his head back and Sehun scolded himself for being insensitive. Wiping his hands with the back of his jeans he walks over to Kai trying to make amends. “That was thoughtless, I’m sorry.”

 

Kai stared at Sehun, not blinking but slowed; yet the effect is soft and inviting instead of harsh. Kai clasps his cold fingers around Sehun’s bony wrist and pulls him down to sit beside him and Sehun does so taken back but grateful. “Your soap drama is on.”

 

“Yeah I know, I’ve been trying to multitask,” Sehun confesses with a shy smile. “It’s being recorded, soI can give it the full attention it deserves later.”

 

Kai hums impressed as he unzips his over-sized hoodie. “I’m really good at making cereal, the balance between the milk and the flakes is a tough equation.”

 

“I bet,” Sehun laughed nudging Kai who nudges him back. “Which reminds me, I’m actually making spaghetti. Something I’m familiar with thank god, and red sauce out of scratch; something I’m not familiar with.” 

 

“I don’t think a lot can go wrong with pasta in general, right?” Kai thought as he pulls out the contents of his back pocket to fully be comfortable, which included his phone, some gum, a lighter and a battered cigarette packet. “Uh, can I have a quick smoke? Please?”

 

Sehun’s eyes widen to their fullest potential, examining the crumpled, red packet. “God no! Have you forgotten the last time you smoked here? Or better yet, that Kyungsoo lives here?”

 

“Never hurts to ask,” Kai winked placing a cigarette between his lips that Sehun snatches immediately. “Fine.”

 

Rushing towards the window, Sehun chucks the cancer stick outside before facing Kai again. “Why do you even smoke? It’s horrible and has no positive benefits.”

 

“For a lot of reasons, but for now? I need something to hold onto.” Kai’s lips widen into a tired, cracked smile and Kai doesn’t look so put together as before.

 

Sehun’s eyes travel all over Kai. He goes over every physical detail; the left eyeball that’s colored a deep red, the cut on the lower lip, the bruised neckline and bony cheeks. Sehun gets a strong sense of urgency to hug Kai tightly, but he’s not that spontaneous as he’d wish, so he opts to pat Kai’s head.

 

Kai doesn't flinch or move from the tender touch, instead, he stays perfectly still scrutinizing Sehun’s unreadable expression. They stare at each other for what feels like eternity and Kai has never felt as defenseless as this, yearning for more human contact in the purest form.

 

Sehun was the first to break away, he stops brushing Kai’s soft locks and takes a step back with a kind smile. “I’d ask you to help me, but it’s a surprise not so much a surprise lunch for you to feel better. So sit here, and tell me what happens with the old ladies and Jaehyo and his friends.”

 

Mutely Kai nods his head in obedience, unable to shake the feelings blooming in his chest like flowers. The tension from earlier is gone, and Kai feels like Sehun blew air into his lungs and he can breathe again.

 

“I think we might add some clams, actually. There’s still a lot left.” Sehun hollered and Kai couldn’t help but chuckle softly. Kai closes his eyes and lets his limbs fall loose, his head tilting backward, indenting the leather. Calmness. Kai inhaled slowly. He falls asleep in a matter of seconds, losing himself to Sehun’s gentle touches and easy smiles and kind eyes.

 

Sehun looks back to Kai about to ask him about the soap drama, only to find the pink-head knocked out. Sehun’s smile is wide and big at the sight of Kai’s sleeping frame. “He needed a power nap or six.” 

 

Thinking over the whole of last week, Sehun can’t help but how drastically everything changed once Kai entered the picture. How he has changed, for the better. He genuinely wants to stay in touch with Kai after the wedding. One week left of their secret arrangement before there is no verbal bind holding them together and it makes Sehun sorrowful because he genuinely enjoys Kai’s presence.

 

As much as Kai’s attitude is tough and frosty, he truly helped Sehun get out of his shell and work through some of his social anxiety and self-consciousness. Even though most of the methods were unorthodox, but that was Kai. A whole unorthodox enigma.

 

Sehun wishes he could get Kai to open up more like himself, letting out an audible sigh. He’s a little disappointed that he doesn't know much about Kai’s personal life and the thought makes him chuckle for a moment. “Aren’t I, his personal life? Boyfriend right? Fake Boyfriend.”

 

Placing the spaghetti on low heat, because it’s almost cooked. He just needs to finish the sauce and mix them all together and the surprise lunch but not really a surprise lunch will be finished. Just as Sehun’s about to pour the cleaned calms into the fresh sauce Kai’s infamous ringtone goes off, and Sehun leaps to get it plopping the clams into the sauce sloppily.

 

Sehun grabs the phone about to decline the call but it goes dead in his hands, he lets out clueless, “Oh..”

 

A quick sweep over Kai’s slumped body indicated it was a false alarm, and the rosy-head is still in a deep slumber and Sehun nods his head gratefully. It takes Sehun a few more seconds to realize he is holding Kai’s notorious phone whom he doesn’t let anyone near. A devious thought pops into Sehun’s head, but he shakes it off immediately.

 

Sehun orbs look like ping-pong balls bouncing back and forth from Kai’s sleeping form to the phone. He is one click away from finding out about Kai and his life. Sehun’s mouth gapes open at the opportunity and he releases a meaningful, “Oh!”

 

Immediately placing the phone on the couch, Sehun raises his hands to convey his innocence. “It’s not me. I won’t lower myself to this type of of…predicament.”

 

Before Sehun could think of something else, the phone rings again with the same one letter ID caller name - [ ** _D_** ]. Sehun jumps in alarm, answering the phone-call and groans soundlessly realizing what he’s done.

 

“Hello?” Sehun answers unsurely, and to be quite honest a little frightened.

 

“Kai! It’s Donghae! I’ve been trying to call you all day, why aren’t you answering—“ Sehun cuts him off abruptly, he can’t snoop into Kai’s belonging like this.

 

“Uh, I’m sorry, but Kai can’t come to the phone right now. I may have, no definitely did, and regretfully so answered his phone. I can tell him that you called?”

 

The caller, Donghae, stays silent for a few moments making Sehun assume the connection had cut off but Donghae’s small chuckle stated otherwise. “Aaah. So you’re the boyfriend he won’t stop talking about.”

 

The corner of Sehun’s lips twitch upwards, feeling giddy for a few seconds but he reminds himself that he is prying into Kai’s personal life that he has no business in doing so. Donghae continues, taking Sehun’s silent as a yes, when in fact Sehun was physically tugging the corner of his lips to go down.

 

“Seojun tight? Or was it Seoeon?” Donghae inquired casually his tone light, but Sehun’s intuition was screaming the opposite. 

 

Sehun’s eyes wander to Kai’s sleeping figure beside him and answers skeptically. “Sehun.”

 

Donghae’s chuckles made the hairs all over Sehun’s body to rise at how leery the caller sounded. He feels stones in the pit of his stomach, and Sehun wants the call to end.

 

“Do you know what your little boyfriend does in his free time?”

“I’m not sure, but if he works with you or something I can tell him you called.”

 

Sehun hoped his stern voice made it clear he didn’t want to talk, but Donghae didn’t seem to catch on. Instead, Donghae continues to talk, unbothered of the shattering he’s about to unfold.

 

“Wow, you don’t know shit do you?” Barking out a cunning laugh, Donghae proceeds. “Let me enlighten you, Sehun.”

 

Sehun’s chest tightens, every fiber of his being is telling Sehun to hang up the call but his heart wants to know more.

 

“He is amazing at getting fucked. Did you know that? He loves getting fucked. Especially by me, he moans like the little slut he is. Whimpering and whining like a cat in heat, desperate to please and cheap to bed. Your boyfriend is a fucking call boy, a gigolo; whatever the fuck you wanna call him, he likes it dirty. He is such a good fuck too,” Donghae groans at the mere thought of Kai’s bare body.

 

“So needy and obedient. Do you know what my favorite part about fucking him senseless every night? When his legs shake so hard that he can’t stand up—“

Sehun hangs up the call abruptly. His brain stutters for a moment and his eyes are focused on the device at hand, every part of him goes on pause while his thoughts catch up. Sehun shakes his head in disbelief, as he stares at the blacked screen before him.

 

“Probably a-a prank call,” Sehun reasoned but even his own voice was unconvincing. In a matter of seconds, Sehun opens the unsecured phone and goes through the contacts and sees an abundance of similar one lettered contact names and his heart sinks.

 

Placing the phone in its original position, Sehun stands up and leaves Kai and his phone on the couch as he heads back to the kitchen trying to not unravel but his thoughts are fast and mean. Sehun isn’t even sure if he should confront Kai, he doesn’t want to face this dilemma. 15 minutes ago Sehun was content with his fairly uncomplicated life until this bombshell fell out of nowhere.

 

Sehun takes the next 30 minutes at a slow pace, as he finishes the food, plates the meal, sets the table and sits by the table silently staring at his cold pasta trying to process the truth. What breaks the silence is Kai’s phone, and this time Sehun stays perfectly still watching Kai shift in his sleep discomforted by the blaring ringtone. A few seconds go by and Kai sits up abruptly, forgetting where he’s at and once he realizes he flashes Sehun a lazy smile that doesn’t get returned.

 

The phone rings again and Kai glances at the screen before muting his device. “How long was I asleep for?”

 

Sehun not trusting his own voice shrugs. Slightly weirded out by Sehun’s unusual behavior, Kai tries to brush it off and walks over to the set table and stretches.

 

“This doesn’t look half bad, sweets!” Kai grins at the sight of the food, sitting across from his fake-partner.

 

“Yeah, what can I say?” Sehun exhaled forcefully, not wanting to have a nervous breakdown.

 

Taking a mouthful of the cold pasta, Kai is surprised by how satisfied his tastebuds are. “Fuck, this tastes amazing. Sure, a little cold but I actually prefer pasta cold — call me weird.”

 

Sehun stabs his pasta, trying to not lose it. “Can you not use that word so easily?”

 

“What? Weird?”

“The f-word. There are…so many adjectives in our language and the f-word seems almost,” Sehun glances up at Kai’s scrunched face then back to his plate. “Uh, lazy?”

 

“You okay? You don’t look so good, sweets.” Kai reaches out to touch Sehun’s forehead but the latter abruptly pushes his chair back out of reach.

 

Before either of them are able to speak, the front door opens to reveal a drenched Chanyeol. “What’s up, love birds? It’s pouring rain outside, oooh a romantic linner or dunch. You choose, personally, I like the first combo of lunch and dinner, I feel like it packs more of a punch, y' know? Linner!”

 

Sehun’s eyes widen at the sight of Chanyeol, and he is about to word-vomit about everything. Chanyeol is the perfect candidate for this secrecy. He’s a great supporter, quite knowledgable on common-knowledge which is a department Sehun lacks in, and most importantly Sehun can’t tell Baekhyun or Kyungsoo because he will never hear the end of it.

 

“Yeah, Sehunnie made the sauce out of scratch. It’s actually an upgrade from his salty soup.” Kai joked, taking another mouthful of pasta.

 

“I need to talk to you!” Sehun rushes towards Chanyeol who is actually taken back and raises his hands in the air defensively.

 

“You look like you’re two seconds away from doing something psychotic,” Chanyeol comments in a low voice trying to keep Sehun’s imagine good in front of Kai as he unzipping his trench coat. “What do you want to talk about?”

 

“Uh, the rent. The rent, Chanyeol.” Sehun states clearly, trying to gesture with his eyes and a small nudge with his head towards the bedrooms but to Chanyeol it looks like Sehun has a twitch in his face.

 

“Give us a few seconds, Kai.” Sehun turned to the pink head who nods his head dutifully, watching the two giants whisper-fight then suddenly Sehun grabs Chanyeol’s arm dragging in further into the apartment entering Sehun’s bedroom.

 

“What are you doing? Rent isn’t due for another two weeks man!” Chanyeol tugs himself free lays on Sehun’s bed with furrowed brows.

 

“Kai is a prostitute!” Sehun blurs out, before yelping in alarm and covers his mouth with both hands.

 

Chanyeol sits up abruptly, eyes blueing out of their sockets. “What?”

 

“I know, I know!” Sehun whines feebly, plopping on his bed face first as he wails. “Actually, I only found out about half an hour ago!”

 

“Your boyfriend is an escort?” Chanyeol exclaims in astonishment, then tilts his head momentarily to process the words. “What the actual fuck, Sehun? No wonder he looks like a fallen angel.”

 

Sehun lifts his head to look at his roommate and best friend despair written all over his face. “Actually he isn’t my boyfriend-boyfriend. It’s more complicated than that.”

 

If Chanyeol’s eyes could stretch any wider they would as he physically shakes his hands across from him in disbelief. “What do you mean not your boyfriend-boyfriend? Sehun I just came back from fucking Geometry, I have used most of my brain’s capacity for today.”

 

Sehun knew this was a totally horrible situation but he needed consultation and maybe a partner in crime had he done something he didn’t think fully through, like picking up Kai’s phone and answering. He needed to come clean on his relationship status, he can’t believe that this type of thing kept happening to him.

 

“Pinky promise you won’t tell anyone, especially Baekhyun and Kyungsoo.”

“Yes, I promise.”

 

As their pinkies intertwine and thumbs stamp the promise’s legitimacy, Sehun unloads the word-vomit he’s been holding back feeling his heart burdened by the facts.

 

“You remember when you forced me to go out with you guys? Well, I met Kai at the club, vomited on his shoes, and then he offered to drive me back home. Then you found us in bed, literally sleeping off the hangover and I told him to pretend to be my boyfriend.”

 

“Then you caught actual feelings for him?” Chanyeol quizzed still dazed by the events.

 

“What? No!” Sehun denies immediately, “I met him again at the corner store and then asked him to be my fake boyfriend until Junmyeon’s wedding so nobody makes me feel like bad because I don’t have a plus one, and Junmyeon won’t pair me up with some random person.”

 

“So that’s when—“

 

“No! I don’t have, uh, feels for him let me finish!” Sehun huffs flustered but Chanyeol remained unconvinced.

 

“Anyway, I told him I’d pay him to act to be my boyfriend until the wedding and he obviously agreed so, yup. So I-I answered his phone because he was sleeping and I didn’t want it to disturb him and,” Sehun’s eyes tear up and he grabs one of his pillows and covers his face with it and continues to talk voice slightly muffled. “One of his clients called and told me, and, oh my god, I caught feelings didn’t I?”

 

A knock came by the door startling both of them, they waited for the door to open but it never did. 

 

“I have to go, I got some unfinished paperwork to do so I gotta leave.” Kai hollers from across the door. Sehun and Chanyeol exchange knowingly looks. “But thank you for the food, Love.”

 

Sehun’s eyes are glassy and he urges Chanyeol to talk, so the giant dutifully does so.

 

“Have a good night, Kai!”

“You too!”

 

They hear the pit-patter of Kai’s soles getting fainter before absolute silence engulfs them. 

 

“Aren’t you in a sticky situation, my friend? How do you get into this shit with relationships? Do you have like bad juju—is that a fucking cat?” Chanyeol gawks at General Kitty McMitten emerging from his comic-book nook.

 

Sehun’s wails in despair, throwing himself back against his headboard dramatically. “That’s my cat, Kai got him for me because I was upset.”

 

Chanyeol stares at the ginger cat dumbfound watching it jump on the bed, sauntering over to Sehun’s lap. “He got you a cat ‘cause you were upset? Oh, ok fucking normal. This shit is straight out a sit-com. Sehun what the fuck, you can’t have a cat. Kyungsoo will skin you alive!”

 

“That is why you have to keep quiet, General Kitty McMitten was close to death, he can’t have me abandon him.” Sehun croaked, acting woeful as he petted the ginger feline.

 

“I don’t think this is my main concern right now, but I’ll keep…General Kitty McMitten’s existence under wraps.” Chanyeol eyes the pet unsurely, before reaching out to pet it and surprisingly doesn’t get bit.

 

“I really like him Chanyeol,” Sehun’s voice wobbled, trying to swallow the sob wedged in his throat. “I didn’t even know it was happening until now. My heart is so heavy. I would’ve never guessed it would lead to me feeling like this. He makes me feel happy inside, and when he’s around my problems seem to evaporate. Everything he does and says makes me so..so happy.”

 

Chanyeol’s heart breaks at the sight of Sehun. He places a comforting hand on Sehun’s knee trying to ease his pain. “It’s alright, just breathe. You’ll be alright.”

 

“I know I have no right to be angry, let alone heartbroken because he was never really mine, to begin with, y’ know? But,” Sehun’s voice cracks even further, unable to hold eye contact anymore, Sehun focuses on the feline in his lap. “I thought—maybe, after the wedding him and I could….”

 

“I know, come here,” Chanyeol elopes Sehun into a fierce, tight hug. “We'll can figure something out.”

 

Sehun choking on his own tears, whispers. “I really like him, Yeolie. I really do.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

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	13. Day 6: The Unveil

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Kai stares at the modern penthouse before him, it takes him exactly 2 minutes to advance towards the familiar home. He’d seen Donghae’s persistent calls and texts, and ended up answering one of his calls, which bring him here. To Donghae’s penthouse. The elder male has explained that he wanted to reconcile with Kai, and that is all he’d want to do for today just chat. But Kai had other plans, he wanted nothing to do with Donghae. The only reason Kai decided to come was to tell Donghae personally that he won’t be back, won’t be working for him. 

As he advanced across the long driveway, he punches in the home’s security password, memorized and enters the lavish house with a heavy heart. 

Kai remembers the first time he entered the home, and how long it took him to have it memorized. He brushes his fingertips against the ivory walls trying to calm his nerves as he follows the sound of Donghae’s booming voice. It’s been a longtime since someone was bold enough to manhandle Kai like Donghae has, and it’s frightening because Kai genuinely though he was going to die at the hands of the latter. 

He enters the lounge room, and just as he’d predicted Donghae stands there in a crisp, white button-up with a whiskey on the rocks in one hand and a phone is the other. Kai unconsciously falls into this familiar routine. He makes himself present with a soft cough, low enough to not disturb, but loud enough to be heard. Donghae raises his half-drunken glass in the air in a silent greeting before continuing to argue on the phone. 

Kai walks towards the creamy cashmere couch, trying to not look apprehensive. He pulls out his phone and stares at his black, cracked screen inspecting his reflection. How his left eye has deflated in size and color, but the hickeys sprinkled across his neck didn’t. Every time he inhaled his lungs burned, his heart was hitting his chest so hard, that he though his ribs will break any second. 

“I didn’t think you’d make it.” Donghae’s husky voice boomed across the spacious room. “How are you?”

Kai flinches and looks at Donghae trying to act indifferent, but Donghae was getting closer to Kai. Walking up to the rosy head, towering over him and Kai holds his breath as Donghae reaches down and creases Kai’s face tenderly. 

“What do you want?” Kai asked scratchily, turning away from Donghae’s touched feeling violated already. 

Donghae’s smile is an amused one, at Kai’s tough exterior. “Why so cold towards me?” 

Kai narrows his eyes vexation embedded in his dark orbs, and Donghae laughs and raises his hands in fake surrender. “Right. I’m sorry, kitten. I didn’t realize you couldn’t handle someone being a little rough with you.” 

“A little rough?” Kai shakes his head, outraged. He can feel the adrenalin pump through his veins and he thinks fight or flight, and he’s gonna goddamn fight even if it terrifies him. “You’re a piece of shit, Donghae. I kept begging you to stop, literally begging you until I became unconscious. Not that it bothered you in the slightest. Look at what you did to me!” 

Donghae inspects Kai in a calm manner, as he sits beside him unbothered. “I marked you. Not like it’s the first time I ever gave you a hickey or a bruise. You never complained before.”

“You’re a psychopath, this shit isn’t normal! I didn’t consent to any of this type of bullshit and you fucking know it!” Kai snaps, not feeling the skin in his palms break from how hard he’s digging his nails into them. 

Donghae’s stare is ice and it makes Kai shrink back trying to not show he’s been spooked. 

“I already fucking apologized, don’t get pissy about it.” 

Kai couldn’t believe his eyes.The adrenalin flew over his veins like a carp through the river, but he couldn’t move a single muscle, not even to talk. The absolute realization that Donghae doesn’t feel any remorse for forcing himself onto Kai, completely paralyzed him and the more he thought it over, the more Kai felt discourage and utterly terrified. 

He needed to leave, as soon as possible. 

“Are we done here? I got things to do.” Kai keeps his voice steady, and his hands on his knees. 

“Like what? Fuck other men for money and food?” 

Kai flinches at the harshness of the words, causing Donghae to laugh swirling his ice in his glass. 

“I’m kidding, so tell me what’s keeping you so busy that you can’t have a chat with me?”  
“I wanted to tell you in person that I won’t be seeing you again. I’m done.” 

Donghae scoffs in displeasure. “How chivalrous. ‘In person’ eh?” 

Kai gets up, thinking the deed is finally done. He’s freed, he said his piece and can walk away from this messy situation. But Donghae has other ideas as he watches Kai walk away from him. 

“Sehun has a gorgeous honeycomb voice, kitten.” 

Kai freezes in his place, blood running cold. He turns around startled, eyes doubled. “What?” 

Donghae takes a sip with a devious grin on his lips as he looks at his glass in mild-interest. “I don’t like to cause disputes between couples, but your boyfriend..” 

“What are you talking about!” Kai snarls, alarmed that Donghae and Sehun have had some contact. 

“Course you didn’t know, after all he went behind your back.” Donghae tuts unimpressed. “Your boyfriend called me from your phone. Kept asking who I was and I, y’know..” Donghae shrugs as if he’s already disinterested with the conversation and it causes an uproar with a distressed Kai. 

“What did you say?” Kai can’t believe what he’s hearing, he doesn’t want to. 

“I said I was a friend, but he said he knows I was lying.”  
“You aren’t make any sense, why would Sehun even go through my phone?” 

Donghae leans back, a cunning grin plastered on his face quite satisfied with stirring the pot. He clicks his tongue as if it is the most casual conversation, enjoying how fidgety Kai is becoming. “I think it’s pretty clear,” 

“Your little boyfriend called me from your phone, after snooping around in your phone. He said he knew I was lying because he’d seen my texts among the other dozen men you fuck. He went insane saying how much do I pay you and why is his boyfriend fucking other people. Rather feisty one, almost like you in a sense.” 

Kai stares at Donghae in despair, quite shaken up that his secret has been exposed. “He was feeling quite vexed, because do you know what else he said? He’s sick to his stomach that he’s been close to someone who turns out to be and I quote ‘used goods’, quite harsh isn’t it?” 

Kai’s face shifts into so many different expressions like a game of Russian roulette. His emotions are changing so quickly that he is unable to focus on one feeling. His heart hurts because the imagine of Sehun being someone good shattered. 

“I just didn’t realize he felt so disgusted by touching you, kitten. You are sex on legs and I do mean that as a compliment,” Donghae racks Jongin ill-fitted attire before finishing off with a last blow as if it’s an afterthought. “You always look like you’re asking for it anyway.” 

But most of all, the feeling that bubbling to the surface over everything is anger. How could Kai have been tricked into thinking Sehun could be more, his face hot with humiliation Kai begins to walk away ready to cause a storm. 

“Hey! Where are you going?” Donghae hollers out, watching Kai disappear from his sight causing him to laugh. 

(————)

Baekhyun has been watching Chanyeol for the past hour or so, and something is definitely wrong. While Chanyeol’s behavior tends to be at times, strange but today something is off. Baekhyun observes Chanyeol enter the open kitchen and pour himself an excessive amount of cereal for the 15th time. Baekhyun doesn’t know what was worse, Chanyeol finishing his favorite cereal in the span of an hour or the bad ratio of 9:1 of cereal to milk. 

Baekhyun likes to study in the living room since it doesn’t feel as cramped, but Chanyeol’s antics are distracting him. Chanyeol’s munching is driving Baekhyun, and for once he wished they were allowed to eat in their rooms but remembers why Kyungsoo banned that privilege. It involved mice and Kyungsoo beating the shit out of Baekhyun.

“What’s bothering you?” Baekhyun huffs, tossing his pen across his textbook, as he glares at Chanyeol. 

Startled, Chanyeol almost drops his spoon. “Me? I’m not bothered, or troubled. That rhymed.” 

Baekhyun’s eyes narrow in, and it makes Chanyeol tense up. “I’m totally cool, calm and collected. The three c’s. I swear.” 

Chanyeol’s behavior was to Baekhyun is very suspicious as the giant has quicken his pace at eating trying to stay composed. Chanyeol just happens to stress-eat when he’s under pressure and after yesterday’s confession from Sehun about Kai it’s been a nightmare for him to not say anything to anyone. 

“What are you hiding?” Baekhyun interrogates with his arms crossed and leans back. 

Chanyeol flinches and swallows a mouthful of cereal without chewing. “I’m not. Go back to minding your business.” 

Baekhyun’s brows fly upwards in surprise hidden in his hair. Even Chanyeol seemed surprised that he uttered those words, as it’s a rare occurrence. Stiffly, Chanyeol throws his half-eaten cereal bowl in the sink if fear of getting caught and tries to walk with brazen confidence that he is innocent but Baekhyun’s hawk eyes are following him mutely. 

Chanyeol readjusted his posture with his shoulders back and head high as he passes by Baekhyun who immediately stood up and pretended to stretch. Officially giving Baekhyun his back Chanyeol was ready to go back to his bedroom, his asylum. 

Baekhyun doesn’t waste another second as he sprints towards Chanyeol in the hallway, letting out a battle cry as if Chanyeol is an animal ready to be shredded. Chanyeol yelps in fear as soon as he sees Baekhyun ready to pounce on him at full speed. He’s so close to the bathroom door, since Chanyeol already estimated he wouldn’t make it to his bedroom in one piece. Just as Chanyeol opens the bathroom door to escape into safety, Baekhyun leaps onto his back tackling him as the pair collapse in the middle of the entrance; half-in and half-out. 

“Tell me!”  
“I can’t!” 

Chanyeol fights to dominate the sudden roughhousing, but with the limited space in the bathroom, Baekhyun was victorious. “I knew it! Something is up!” 

Baekhyun tries to keep hold of Chanyeol who is thrashing underneath him. 

“I’ll force it out of you, even if it means beating the shit out of you,” Baekhyun warned, but to Chanyeol it was an empty threat causing him to laugh out loud. 

“Physically I got everything over you, chipmunk!” Chanyeol showed off as he maneuvers Baekhyun’s body beside him but not quite under him. 

“We’ll see about that!” Baekhyun taunts, as the pair roll in the bathroom floor trying to win and Baekhyun kicks Chanyeol in his crotch and wins by straddling the giant. “Suck my dick Park, I win! So tell me.” 

“Cheater!” Trying to recover after the brutal assault, Chanyeol glares at Baekhyun. 

Baekhyun shakes his head in fake disappointment. “Fine, don’t say I didn’t try to be nice.” 

Chanyeol gawks in disbelieve and tries to overthrow Baekhyun but fails. “This shit was nice? You tackled me into the bathroom floor!” 

Baekhyun doesn’t reply. Instead, he cocks his brow upwards in a silent response before tilting his head back for a moment then faces Chanyeol again. Parting his lips slightly, his collected spit is slowly making its way towards Chanyeol who is in full survival mode but Baekhyun is surprisingly heavy and Chanyeol isn’t feeling so light with all of the cereal in his stomach. 

“You’re playing dirty, get off!” Chanyeol squawks horrified. “Baek, not cool, not cool, not coo—ugh!” 

Chanyeol screeches as the spit is a few centimeters away from touching his face, and Chanyeol gives in. “Fine! fine!” 

Baekhyun sucks in his saliva back into his mouth in one skillfully motion and smiles deviously. 

Chanyeol knows Sehun will practically die if Baekhyun found out that he hired Kai to be his fake boyfriend, who turned out to be a sex-worker and whom Sehun has actually grown genuine feelings for. If Baekhyun found out he’d never let it go, and use it every chance he could get to corner Sehun in any argument. 

So it was best for Chanyeol to bend the truth so Baekhyun’s behavior would bend too, in the aspect that he wouldn’t mock Sehun, but protect him instead which is uncommon — but if Chanyeol plays his cards right, he’ll get that Baekhyun instead of the heartless one. 

By bending the truth, Chanyeol will tell Baekhyun certain things to make it livable for Sehun. Especially if Sehun doesn’t know that Baekhyun knows. 

“I found out that Kai is a prostitute because I saw his phone when he wasn’t looking, and there were a bunch of texts on it from like men.” Chanyeol blurs out, eyes wides trying to process Baekhyun’s reaction. “I don’t want to break Sehun’s heart with the wedding being so close, I can’t, uh, no I won’t, break the news until after the wedding because…” 

Chanyeol looks away trying to remember the reasons why Sehun hired Kai in the first place. “Oh yeah, uh, y’know how Suho is obsessed with his wedding being perfect and Sehun can’t suddenly come without a date and it’d be just horrible for Sehun to become single a few days before the wedding. It’s like forcing Sehun to go on suicide mission.” 

Chanyeol shakes his head for exaggeration,” We can’t do Sehun like that, Suho would kill him and then us for not finding out sooner.” 

Baekhyun’s face is unreadable and it makes Chanyeol go on edge and ramble a little more in hopes of convincing him further. “So yeah, we cant tell anyone about Kai, especially Sehun. He’d be heartbroken. I know you figured that shit the moment we met Kai and we now have prove after countless times of trying to find evidence of how they cannot possibly belong together.”

Chanyeol thinks he’s done well and maybe has a chance in writing future screenplays or indie movies from his witty, quick-thinking. About to smile he remember Baekhyun is on top of him and almost as an afterthought he finished off with, “Sehun cannot find out, especially from you. It’s complicated but leave it alone—Ah! I see the wheels turning in your evil head.” 

Baekhyun scoffs loudly for being caught and rolls his eyes. “Well…I can see why I shouldn’t know about this, situation?” 

Glad that Baekhyun brought his act, Chanyeol pushes Baekhyun’s limp body away from him. “Get off me, you’re heavy.” 

Baekhyun slides off Chanyeol and plops on the bathroom floor with the sink beside him as he sits up. He glances at Chanyeol expectantly who sits up also, leaning his back against the bathtub. “Don’t be mean, Baek.” 

Baekhyun gasps scandalized. “We didn’t do anything yet!” 

“I can hear your vile thoughts and what the hell do you mean ‘we’? There is no ‘we’ to do anything. The only think required now is to leave it alone, until the wedding is over.” 

“Yes! We can make it like a big reveal of the asshole he is after the wedding!” Baekhyun’s eyes shine at the imaginary execution. 

Alarmed, Chanyeol shakes his head with his orbs doubled. “No! Baekhyun doesn’t do anything man.”

Baekhyun about to speak but thinks against and refrains from doing so, but he shows his annoyance with an exaggerated roll of eyes. The pair sit on the bathroom floor in silence for a minute or so before Baekhyun speaks again unable to contain himself. 

“Well…I get why I should do it—“  
“Yeah, no shit Sherlock.” 

“To be fair, I knew Kai was cheating on Sehun when we saw him yesterday morning. The guy looked like he’s been thoroughly fucked instead of mugged. It was totally obvious, and we just gotta get some physical proof from that stupid phone and expose him in such a petty way that makes Kai regret ever hurting Sehun’s feelings.” 

Chanyeol’s lips are pursed momentarily as he examines Baekhyun. “You’re taking this better than I assumed.” With crossed arms Chanyeol resumes. “Probably because you’re talking to Jongdae again.” 

“How’d you that?” Baekhyun perks up at the mention of his ex-lover. 

Chanyeol shrugs. “Kyungsoo saw you guys, twice in one day. Impressive.” 

The doorbell rings and the pair call for the youngest resident of the apartment. 

“Sehun!” 

“I didn’t realize that talking to Jongdae again meant you aren’t such a dick—Sehun! The Door!” Chanyeol hollers, as the door bell rings again. 

Sehun who’s been cooped up in his room since yesterday afternoon finally exits his cave but pauses when he sees his best-friends and roommates sitting inside the bathroom on the floor. “Do I need to ask why?” 

Baekhyun and Chanyeol exchange looks, and Chanyeol shakes his head at Baekhyun who nods in misunderstanding. “Well, since you asked—“

“No! Just-just open the door, the banging won’t stop.” 

Sehun nods his head obediently and rushes to the door, leaving the pair on the floor watching him disappear from the corner. Chanyeol kicks Baekhyun, who kicks him back harder. 

“Ouch! I didn’t kick you that hard Baek!” Chanyeol whined. 

Sehun furrows his brows at their front door because the pounding is getting more aggressive and it makes Sehun concerned as to who’d be this demanding. Opening the door with a little wariness he’s taken back when he sees Kai. 

Kai enters the apartment and shoves Sehun back harshly, causing the latter to stumble backward. 

“Fuck you!” Kai pushes Sehun again, his teeth gritted while Sehun gapes shocked.

“Fuck you!” Kai shoves Sehun harder, and Sehun is perturbed trying to keep himself balanced. 

“Fuck you!” Sehun grabs Kai’s wrists to stop him but Kai pulls away, and Sehun notices how teary-eyed Kai is. 

“Why are you pushing me?” Sehun exclaimed trying to analyze the situation, with his hands raised to show surrender. 

Outraged Kai’s eyes narrow like slits of a jaguar ready to pounce. “How dare you! How dare you judge me, you piece of shit!” 

Sehun’s eyes dart to the hallway where Baekhyun and Chanyeol had their heads sticking out of the bathroom looking bewildered causing Sehun to panic. He doesn’t want to bring suspicion to him and Kai in anyway and that included this. “C-Can we talk about whatever is upsetting you in my room? Please?” 

Kai scoffs loudly in disbelieve at what he’s hearing. “Of course you’d wanna hide me, ashamed of me are you?” 

Sehun glances back at Chanyeol and Baekhyun who realized they’ve been caught trying to ears-drop and close the bathroom door to give the couple some privacy. 

Taking Sehun’s silence as a yes, Kai laughs bitterly. “You aren’t even denying it, fuck…” 

Sehun’s heart is pounding quickly, he’s confused and worried as to why Kai is acting so out of character like this. “ What are you talking about?” 

“I can’t believe you’d fucking go so low as to snooping through my phone! Is that why you were weird at lunch?” Sehun’s widen at the realization and he feels a pang of guilt but for all the wrong reasons. 

Kai walks up to Sehun, inches between their faces. His lethal stare felt painful and piercing as if his glare was tearing Sehun’s heart apart with a blinding teal light. Kai’s voice is barely above a whisper but to Sehun it’s as if he’s screaming and that hurts more. 

“You found out I’m disgusting, and called Donghae to confirm it? That I’m a rent-boy? Whoring myself out?” 

Sehun shakes his head furiously beyond confused. “No! Y-You got it all wrong! I didn’t call him first of all—“ 

“You know what pisses me off?” Kai’s eyes were narrow, rigid, cold and hard. “I thought I could genuinely trust you. As soon as you found out I’m used fucking goods, you’re all of a sudden embarrassed? Too good to be with someone like me? Don’t fucking forget you paid for me, just like all the other men did. You paid me just like them, I’m just entertainment for your sad little life. Only difference is that you made a fool out of me, made me think we could actually be-be—“ 

Kai looks away trying to control himself, his vision blurred by his tears and his voice unstable. It takes him a second to compose himself again. “Be friends.” 

“Kai if you’d just let me explain—“ Sehun gets cut off by Kai again. 

“No fuck you! Fuck you if you think I give two shits about your opinion, because you’re like every other entitled fucking guy! What the fuck was I to you? Someone you could pity? I’m not a goddamn charity case!” Kai growls feeling nothing but angry anguish, because he trusted Sehun. He thought he was different, that he’d understand. 

“You went behind my back and betrayed my trust, all of this,” Kai gestures between their bodies. “Bullshit. Complete and utter lies. I really believed you were something else. You were supposed to be different.” 

Everything hurts, and Kai can't take it anymore his voice wobbly. “You were supposed to be different.” 

“You got it all wrong, please!” Sehun pleads but Kai is spacing himself away from Sehun. 

“You couldn’t have waited for me to tell you? You went behind my back. You’re exactly like everyone else.” Kai hissed in absolute devastation his voice hoarse. He’s angry at Sehun and the world and at himself for getting so addicted to Sehun’s easy smiles and soft lips and warm eyes and how he’s genuinely clever and so innocent sometimes that it hurt to even look at him. 

But now Kai can’t look at him for all the wrong reasons. 

“You know what kills me? I thought you were better than the rest, but you’re… not,” Kai chokes on his own sobs and it makes Sehun tear up at how shattered Kai is being. “Y-You’re just worse.” 

“Kai, don’t say that. Please don’t say that.” Sehun pleads his own sight clouded as he reaches for the rosy-head but Kai steps back. “Kai..”

“Don’t fucking contact me, I’m done. I’m fucking done, sweets..” 

Helplessly Sehun watches Kai walks right out of the door and out of his life and Sehun has never felt heartbreak as painful as this. Nausea swirled unrestrained in Sehun’s empty stomach, his head swam with half-formed regrets and his heart felt as if his blood has become tar as it struggled to keep a steady beat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

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>  
> 
> 𝕀'𝕞 𝕛𝕦𝕤𝕥 𝕒𝕤𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕠 𝕓𝕖 𝕡𝕒𝕚𝕕 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤, 𝕠𝕡𝕚𝕟𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕤 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕗𝕖𝕖𝕕𝕓𝕒𝕔𝕜.  
> 𝘐'𝘮 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴, 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬.  
> 𝐈'𝐦 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬, 𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤.  
> 𝙸'𝚖 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚊𝚜𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚙𝚊𝚒𝚍 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜, 𝚘𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚍𝚋𝚊𝚌𝚔.


	14. Day 5: Parental Figures

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A 4k chapter I finished, sorry for the wait university is about to start and I was fighting my way to get a good schedule lmfao. luv you. 
> 
>  
> 
> Tell me what you liked, hated, wished was different, your fav character. I'd love to get your FEEDBACK/OPINION on the chapter. ♡
> 
> COMMENT, COMMENT, COMMENT.

Sehun sends another apologetic message to Kai, which piles up with the rest of his unread messages. Ever since yesterday, Sehun isn’t able to catch hold of Kai, and he blames himself for that. He doesn’t know where Kai lives, after all, he never asked. Just like he never asked what Kai’s occupation is. Had he been more careful about asking about the details, this problem wouldn’t have happened. 

He doesn’t hear the knocking, but he sees Chanyeol’s gangly frame enter his room. 

“Trouble in paradise?” 

Sehun stares at his wallpaper on his phone, it was a picture of Kai asleep from the first time he came over to the house. He nods his head confirmation. “He was yelling, he didn’t let me explain…”

Not getting an immediate response, Sehun looks at Chanyeol who has stationed himself on the floor trying to coax General Kitten McMittens out of his comic book castle. 

“You probably heard everything,” Sehun added with a sigh. 

After the incident, Sehun had a panic attack. He didn’t know what to do, everything came crashing down and it was so very overwhelming. He assumed his roommates knew his real situation with Kai, and with Kai, it hurt his heart to see such rawness come out of his fake lover. He stayed in his room the whole night, wallowing. 

“Actually, you’d think so. But after I closed the bathroom door we could barely hear anything.” Chanyeol gives Sehun a reassuring smile.”Then Baekhyun got pissed that I did that and tried to waterboard me and I was frankly too busy trying to not drown.” 

Sehun smiles softly before it slips off his face. “I have to meet Suho to get everyone’s plane tickets, even though Kai was supposed to come with me for it. Suho wanted it to be a double date thing.” 

With great success, Chanyeol has persuaded to get the ginger cat to exit his palace and immediately he seizes the opportunity to pet him. “I still can't believe Suho is flying everyone out for his wedding, how come you so broke all the time?” 

Putting on his socks, Sehun sticks out his tongue at Chanyeol. “Lay is paying for all the expenses. He’s like a billionaire back in China. Suho wanted to have it here, but he saw a venue in Hawaii and got obsessed and y’know, Lay will do anything to make Suho happy. A couple of tickets and hotel rooms is barely making a dent in Lay’s wallet.” 

“Wow.” Chanyeol’s mouth is hanging wide open. “I think I need Lay to introduce me to some of his friends. Even if they’re guys, I’ll change my sexuality for that lifestyle.” 

Sehun hums, he hasn’t slept properly since last night. He feeling absolutely terrible, and meeting his brother just to pretend that nothing wrong happened is a nightmare. Grabbing his cap to hide his bed-hair, Sehun stares at himself in his mirror, trying to calm his beating heart. To stop the flashes of yesterday's fight from appearing.

“You look good.” Chanyeol’s voice snaps Sehun out of his downward spiral of overthinking. 

“I don’t feel it,” Sehun answers quietly, scanning his overall appearance. 

Chanyeol who is sitting on the floor, to accommodate General Kitten McMitten's comfort of not wanting to be picked up, patted Sehun’s thigh in comfort. 

“You tried talking to him?” Chanyeol asked, glancing upwards. “Get your truth out?”

“He isn’t answering me,” Sehun looks down at the phone, clutching it tighter. “I can't believe it, why’d he think I purposely wen through his phone?” 

“Then go to his place! Force him to listen.” Chanyeol commands, but Sehun moans in response. “What?”

“That’s the thing though, I don't know where he lives” Sehun sheepishly confesses his lips tugged downwards. “I only found out what he does for a living two days ago! I genuinely like, but he’s so, ugh, stubborn!” 

Chanyeol watches Sehun’s face scrunch up, trying to hold back his tears. 

“He thinks I’m a horrible person, and Luhan thought so too before,” Sehun whispers as he sits on the floor beside Chanyeol trying to not tear up. “And they’re probably right—“

“Wrong!” Chanyeol snaps with so much emphasis that he believes it and it makes Sehun believe him. “The difference between Kai and Luhan is that Kai actually cares for you, in the little span of time you guys hung out, I think he fell for you. If he didn’t he wouldn’t have cared or gotten upset and worked up over you find out.” 

Sehun’s eyes are wide like a deer in headlights, trying to comprehend the words being said to him. “Fell for me? I don’t think so.”

With a roll of eyes, Chanyeol pushes Sehun hard, causing the latter to fall on his back. “Yes! You guys are like the complete opposite but it somehow works. Every time I see you guys together I get jealous if I’m quite honest, from how much you guys are in your own little world. So invested in each other that everyone around you disappears.”

Sehun looks at his lap shyly, recalling of their moments and little touches here and there throughout their time together and it makes Sehun smile. Maybe there is some hope and redemption after all. Patting Chanyeol’s knee, Sehun stands up, tugging his shirt down one last time. 

“Thanks for that, I really needed to hear it.” 

“Anytime, now go get the tickets and be a motherfuckin’ boss.” 

With a final bid of goodbye, Sehun leaves his room to meet his older brother. 

However, not all is swell for Chanyeol, because as he’s about to pet General Kitten McMittens he can hear Baekhyun’s voice dangerously close saying goodbye to Sehun. With urgency, Chanyeol stands up immediately and runs towards the door and opens it revealing a startled Baekhyun standing outside the door clearly about to sneak inside. 

Baekhyun’s eyes are narrowed, full of skepticism. “What are you doing in Sehun’s room?” 

“Wanted to borrow a few comics.” Chanyeol squints back, holding onto the door handle trying to close the door cunningly. However, Baekhyun’s eyes bore into his and Chanyeol feels threatened and needs to divert the situation. “Fine, I wanted to steal his deodorant, okay?”

“Aah, okay.” Baekhyun steps back fully, totally accepting Chanyeol’s lie. “I was thinking a lot last night, and I’ve come to a conclusion.” 

“Here we go.” Chanyeol’s scoffs, his arms crossed in act of displeasure. 

“I have realized my potential faults,” Baekhyun ignores Chanyeol’s eye roll and continues in full confidence. “And I fully support the ‘fuck-Kai-over-to-the-point-of-no-return’ — still working on the title, and redeem myself after all the shit I’ve done to our dear Sehunnie.” 

“What? No, we aren’t doing anything! Baekhyun!” Chanyeol exasperates throwing his hands up before settling them on his hips. “As much as I’m happy you’re on the path on not being a bitch anymore, you can’t do childish shit like—“

General Kitten McMitten’s meow disturbed Chanyeol’s flow of being assertive, as his eyes are now doubled as Baekhyun sizes up Chanyeol cautiously.

“What the hell was that?” 

Chanyeol immediately breaks eye contact as he looks away trying to think rationally. He cannot expose another secret of Sehun’s, he needed to push through this. Especially if Baekhyun had an intimidating stare. Chanyeol has watched plenty of crime shows and one of the ways you endure torture is by causing a frenzy of misdirection. 

“I farted,” Chanyeol exclaims with full confidence trying to intimidate Baekhyun by straightening his posture, show their height difference. 

Baekhyun doesn’t answer immediately, and Chanyeol feels pride swell in his chest because it was difficult to make Byun Baekhyun speechless. Mutely, Baekhyun moves towards Sehun’s bedroom but Chanyeol blocks his advances and closes the door shut spacing himself exactly between Baekhyun and the door. 

“I’ve been having issues with my diaphragm as of late.” Chanyeol touches his stomach to dramatic and Baekhyun’s scrunched nose indicated his disgust and quite frankly slight disturb. “What!” 

“Who’s fart sounds like a fucking cat?” 

Standing in a defensive stance, Chanyeol replies boldly. “Mine! Now stop with your revenge on Kai nonsense. If you wanna redeem your shitty behavior towards Sehun, maybe you should try and actually apologize and be nice to him? Instead of trying to wipe out the existence of his boyfriend.” 

With jittering nerves, Chanyeol walks away from both Baekhyun and Sehun’s door. He knows it a risky move to turn his back against Baekhyun who could easily open up Sehun’s door. But if Chanyeol did his calculations correctly, Baekhyun is going to follow him because he doesn’t like not getting the last word. 

“Not fair!” Baekhyun whines walking behind Chanyeol, causing the giant to let a silent sigh of relief — the cat is safe. “There is no fun in that!” 

“People’s lives aren’t games!” Chanyeol groans tilting his head back. 

 

(—————)

Sehun glances at his phone one last time, with Kai yet to reply to any of his texts. With a heavy heart, he pushes the doors of the cafe open and enters searching for his brother and his brother’s spouse. Although anxious of what the outcome of this one-sided double date is going to be, Sehun is far more concerned about Kai’s well-being and less about everything else.

Spotting the lovebirds lost in their own worlds, it causes Chanyeol’s words to ring in his ears about him and Kai. Do they seem in their own world? He knows somewhere along the way the lines got blurred, and now everything is a mess. 

Upon arriving at the table, he’s greeted with warm hugs, and Sehun lets himself get crushed. He needs some comfort after last night. As he sits across from the Lay and Suho he gives them a tight smile. 

“Where is Kai?” Suho questions trying to scan his baby-brother for clues. “This is a double date.” 

“He’s at work, couldn’t make it,” Sehun says shortly, he’s been practicing on the bus to make his lie believable. 

“Doesn’t he study?” Suho’s brow is quirked upwards and Sehun blinks in response trying to stay collected and not tear up. He doesn’t have the energy to deal with his brother’s antics or anyone. He just wants to wallow in self-pity with the sole company of General Kitten McMittens. 

With a small, soft sigh Sehun answers. “Part-time…” 

“You guys seem sweet together,” Lay intervenes, knowing how pushy his fiancé can get and smiles at Sehun reassuringly. “Oh, by the way, we decided for a classic vanilla cake after Kai’s allergy attack from last time.” 

Sehun’s brows furrow in momentary confusion trying to recall the petrifying incident and once he does he shakes his head vigorously in agreement. “That’s very considerate of you guys.”

“Sure it’s boring, but since everything else is extravagant I’ll settle,” Suho explains briefly, glancing at Lay who smiles at him warmly, clasping their hands together on the table. “Lay persuaded me if I’m being quite honest. I have bigger fish to fry than having a guest die at my wedding, it’s my moment nobody else’s.” 

Sehun gives his brother a deadpanned stare before shifting his gaze to Lay. “How do you even handle him?” 

Lay erupts into loud laughter, and Suho takes the opportunity to kick Sehun under the table once his fiancé is distracted, out of vengeance. 

“Honestly? He made me feel alive. Like I can breathe.”  
“Really?” Suho beamed, gifting his spouse with a kiss. 

Sehun smiles bitterly at the sight, and suddenly he misses Kai’s impromptu kisses and pecks. He glances at the empty chair beside him and unconsciously touches the bare seat where Kai should’ve been sat at. 

“Anyway,” Breaking their kiss, Suho acknowledges his brother’s presence and pulls out a large file and places it on the table. “These are the tickets and hotel information. I took the liberty to print them and put them in these texture envelopes with everyone’s name.” 

Taking a peek inside the dense file, Sehun can see the five envelopes in flower-pattern imprints. “Oh wow, you guys are really going all out for this wedding.” 

“I wanted the boxes with the live butterflies, but Minho stole my idea so I’m not going to be accused of copying when it was actually him, that little—“Suho pauses and takes a deep breath. “My wedding invites came with a complimentary puppy. So Minho can fuck off.” 

Sehun blinks taken back with his brother’s bridezilla complex, glancing at Lay who’s smiling dutifully at his spouse. “Uh, you didn’t give us puppies? Not that we’re ungrateful, and we aren’t allowed pets in the apartment let alone four dogs like that would be a bad idea—“

“Puppies to people who actually matter, Sehun.” Suho rolls his eyes as if it’s the most obvious thing. 

“Only the best for the love of my life,” Lay says kissing Suho’s knuckles lovingly. 

Unable to hold back, Sehun chuckles at their odd dynamic. “You guys really are perfect for each other.”

“I missed that smile on your face,” Suho confessed, leaning back with a smile of his own. 

“Why? I haven’t been smiling?” Sehun asks with furrowed brows. 

Suho shakes his head softly. “No you have, but nothing as wholesome as of recent. Kai really did a wonder on you didn’t he?” 

Taken back Sehun doesn’t know how to reply, so with reddened cheeks, he looks through the dense package that looks like a confidential file instead of well-though-out invitations, trying to busy himself. 

“Yeah he really did, I like him,” Lay adds and Sehun is sure his ears are matching his rosy cheeks. “He seems like a good kid.” 

“About time you started to enjoy life.” Suho grinned, as Lay nods in agreement. 

Sehun glances at his older brother, almost shyly. “When…when do you know you’re in love? At what stage?”

Suho’s eyebrows disappear in his fringe from how high they flew in surprise. “Oh,” 

Sehun’s blush seared through his cheeks and for a minute he thought his face was on fire. He suddenly felt awkward, demure and coy. Lay looks at Sehun’s sweet antics and flashes him a fatherly smile. 

“There isn’t a stage for love,” He glances at Suho in adoration, who creases his cheek affectionately. “It creeps up on you. One day when they’re doing the most mundane thing, whether it be watching television, cooking or just talking…that’s when you realize you love them.”

“I realized I wanted to spend the rest of my life with Lay when he pulled an all-nighter with me for a work project, so I wouldn’t be lonely,” Suho confesses pecking Lay’s lips softly.

Sehun eyes drift to his phone’s wallpaper, as he brushes his thumb against Kai’s sleeping face. 

“I miss him…” His voice barely above a whisper. 

The soon-to-be-married couple laughs lightheartedly like they know something, nobody else does. 

“You haven’t seen him for a few hours and already miss him?” Suho says in amusement. 

Lay shares a knowing smile with his fiancé. “Oh, how to be young and naive again.”

(—————)

As Minseok clocks in for his break at the cafe, he makes a steaming mug of hot chocolate and instead of going to the backroom to rest, he goes through the back and up the stairs heading for his apartment. 

Deep into the night, just when Minseok was about to turn off the lights Kai makes an appearance as per usual. However, when Minseok opened the door, his smile slips off his face, once he saw how intoxicated the rosy-head seemed to be. He’s never seen Kai this drunk or furious before. It was a toxic mix because Kai stormed in shouting at nobody in particular, fully riled up. He kept cursing at a particular Sehun — who if Minseok’s memory serves correctly, the one that gifted Kai a sunflower — calling him horrid names and telling him consistently to fuck off. 

Entering his studio apartment, Minseok spots Kai sulking in his bed with the duvet bunched around him. Without exchanged words, Minseok walks over to the youngster and hands him over the white mug. Throwing a dirty look at Minseok, Kai takes the steaming mug gratefully with both hands trying to ignore his growing hangover headache. 

Minseok sits in the bed, beside Kai cross-legged. “Are you going to tell me why this Sehun made you get extremely drunk?” 

“Are you going to tell me why you’re trying to act like my dad for?” Kai retorts heatedly, his eyes guarded. “You missed the part where you hit me, before the conversation.” 

Taken back, Minseok doesn’t move and tries to not let his facial expressions show but it was so clear how Minseok’s shoulders deflated and it caused immediate regret to Kai. He grabs Minseok’s palm and squeezes. “I’m sorry, that was mean and uncalled for and, I’m working on it? I just tend to get defensive over….” 

“Everything?” Minseok fills in the silence and Kai lets out a small smile and nods. 

“Pretty much?” 

Minseok watches Kai, he studies him. He wants to know what hurts the younger male and how to make it stop. It makes him wonder what goes inside Kai’s head. As their eyes lock, Kai’s fingers coil around the mug tightly, feeling self-conscious at Minseok holding his gaze with a fatherly warmth. 

Unable to hold the strong eye contact Kai looks down at his mug, trying to stay calm. “Y’know, you’re the first person who’s seen me drunk and hasn’t taken advantage.” 

Minseok frowns immediately and smacks Kai on his knee lightly, causing Kai to laugh emptily. “Bad joke, got it.” 

What makes Kai freeze in his place, is Minseok reaching over to brush his bed-hair tenderly. Kai’s is breaking so many rules in his head over boundaries but Minseok seems to break his crumbling walls so very quickly.

“I’m glad you came here because you’re always welcome but what’s gotten, you so upset kid?” Minseok rephrases his question from earlier. 

Kai doesn’t have it in him to hold anything back, he doesn’t want to. Kai just wants everything to stop spinning, he wants his spiral to stop spiraling downwards he doesn’t think his heart could take any more bad in the world. It’s too tiring, too agonizing, too greedy. 

“Sehun,” Kai begins unable to hold eye contact, staring at the swirls of cocoa in his mug. “The one that I’m pretending to fake date for a wedding..” 

“Yeah?” Minseok interjects supportively, showing that he’s listening, that he genuinely cares. 

“He found out I fuck people for money, and got disgusted by me,” Kai confesses and it’s supposed to make his shoulders feel lighter to talk, but he feels sick to his stomach. “Not that I blame him, but I thought he’d be different. He would understand but he’s not.” 

Kai takes a sip from his hot chocolate before looking at Minseok with hooded eyes. “So he can fuck off, and take his stupid smile with him.” 

“He told you that he was disgusted?” Minseok inquires, tilting his head as Kai shakes his head. 

“Donghae said he called, and I knew something was bound to go wrong and I’m fucking right yet again,” Kai explains shrugging his shoulders. 

“Who is this Donghae?” 

“I forget you don’t know everyone.” A little sheepishly Kai noted, causing the coffee owner to laugh at the comment lightheartedly. 

“It’s alright, I’m a quick learner.” Minseok informed encouragingly with a nod. 

“Okay, so. Sehun and I became really close, like close-close and he was making me lunch because of this,” Kai gestures to himself and the bruises. “thinking I got mugged. So I fell asleep and when that happened, he went through my phone and called one of my most frequent clients, Donghae. He started asking and talking shit about why I’m fucking Donghae, and how much and how he’s humiliated and feels sick to his stomach to have someone like me so close to him.” 

“Donghae kept saying that Sehun said I’m used goods and I found out when I went to Donghae’s to tell him I won’t work for him anymore and before I left he told me.” Kai finalizes thinking he got the main points across to Minseok. 

Minseok responses almost like a six-sense-parent-instinct, “Did Donghae do that to you?” 

Hot shame burns in Kai’s veins, running like wildfire spreading quickly and relentlessly. He doesn’t have the audacity to look at Minseok. So he barks out a laugh that is supposed to be distracting, but it was wobbly. “He was drunk, he didn’t…” 

Unable to continue due to embarrassment and the discomfort of the actual night, Kai drinks his hot chocolate with a small shrug. Taking Kai’s behavior cues, Minseok doesn’t want the conversation to come to an end, so he back-peddles. 

“Well, do you want my honest opinion? Full disclosure?”

Kai misses feeling respected, he misses having someone to guide him. Help never came easy to him, let alone asking for it with the hopes of not giving back. He doesn’t want to be Kai any longer, he wants to escape his body and sear through the universe drifting between the stars and the moon. 

He forces himself to forget plenty of the bad because if he doesn’t Kai thinks he wouldn’t have survived for so long. His brain sometimes numbs the pain, wiping out the traumas but there are times of such strong clarity, that Kai could see every detail and feel every feeling. 

As if a strong force of gravity tugs Kai from all angles, his energy is seeping out like an oil spill. The pounding headache suddenly feels unbearable, he can’t hold his head up anymore. It hurts. Everything does. He does something so out of character that it surprises both himself and Minseok. 

Kai laid down, resting his head in Minseok’s lap his hot cocoa forgotten on the dresser nearby. The vibrations of Minseok’s laughter, causes Kai to open his eyes and look up with wearily.

“You act like some big, scary wold but you’re a little pup.”  
“Don’t make me regret this decision,” 

Minseok mouth twitches and Kai closes his eyes knowing the elder was fighting a smile. His smile is a ray of sunshine and I am a sunburn, Kai thought and hummed.

“Why did you want to believe Donghae’s words over Sehun’s?” Minseok interjects, running his fingers tenderly through Kai’s messy curls. 

“I don’t want to listen to Sehun’s lying ass,” Kai murmured, and Sehun’s face flashes into his memory making him frown. “I don’t think I could handle hearing the words come out of his own mouth..” 

“So I’m right then.” Minseok hums, brushing Kai’s hair away from the face. 

Kai snaps his eyes open and stares at Minseok’s upside-down face. “About what?”

“About you having feelings for your Sehun,” Minseok states in a matter-of-fact. “And from the way you kept talking about him beforehand, it seems like he’s a good kid. But you wanted to believe the other guy instead. Because you found an excuse to fault Sehun, so you don’t potentially get hurt because this isn't a job to you anymore, it’s more than that. You couldn’t believe you’ve found a loophole to escape from and you bounced on it.” 

Kai splutters, trying to form sentences. “I don’t like him!” 

Minseok smiles knowingly, patting Kai’s head. “You’d rather hurt everyone around you before you let them have the chance to even know you. And the fact that you ran away before Sehun could say his side of the story, tells me that.” 

Kai doesn’t reply, instead, he sits up abruptly not liking getting cornered. His eyes are narrowed like a jaguar’s while Minseok remains unthreatened. 

“Plus I know you,” Minseok concludes pinching Kai’s nose playfully, and gets swatted away. 

“He wouldn’t like me like that anyway, he was supposed to be my friend,” Kai says with a scowl. “He didn’t seem so innocent when I talked to him about it.” 

“Talked or ambushed?” Minseok uttered with a raised brow. Kai kept hum. “See? I know that you more than anyone knows the feeling of being judged and accused. Especially without getting your side of the story out. Your truth. So, you need to apologize and listen to him.”

“But he was acting weird at lunch! Why would he do that?” Kai snarled throws his hands in hostility. 

“Ask him, not me,” Minseok answers calmly, unbothered by Kai’s hostile attitude. “You can’t keep assuming how people are going to act and say. That’s what makes us human.”

Kai rubs both his eyes with the back of his palms harshly, not liking where this is headed. His sigh was a softly deflating; it was as if tension has lifted yet left him with a melancholy instead of relief. 

“I fucked up didn’t I?” Kai’s voice is low, he isn’t even sure if he wants his question to be answered. 

“You acted on instinct because you’d rather bite then be bitten.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All I ask in return for writing is commenting. That's it ♡
> 
> \--PSA PSA PSA PSA PSA PSA PSA PSA --
> 
> PSA: I don't like to nag at all but I am pouring my energy, focus and time into this story and only to get one-worded comments or no comments at all. (a lot do actually take the time to comment♡)
> 
> I'm not asking for a full book report (although that would be MARVELOUS) I'm just asking to be paid with your thoughts, opinions, and feedback. Please comment properly by telling me what you thought, it feels a little u̲n̲f̲a̲i̲r̲ that I post +5K chapters most of the time and s͎t͎i͎l͎l͎ ͎g͎e͎t͎ ͎b͎a͎r͎e͎l͎y͎ ͎a͎n͎y͎ ͎c͎o͎m͎m͎e͎n͎t͎s͎
> 
> (People who do comment know themselves, luv u ♡) but a BIG portion of my readers don't bother, and it upsets me because that is the only thing I wish for in return.
> 
>  
> 
> 𝕀'𝕞 𝕛𝕦𝕤𝕥 𝕒𝕤𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕠 𝕓𝕖 𝕡𝕒𝕚𝕕 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤, 𝕠𝕡𝕚𝕟𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕤 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕗𝕖𝕖𝕕𝕓𝕒𝕔𝕜.  
> 𝘐'𝘮 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴, 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬.  
> 𝐈'𝐦 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬, 𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤.  
> 𝙸'𝚖 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚊𝚜𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚙𝚊𝚒𝚍 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜, 𝚘𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚍𝚋𝚊𝚌𝚔.


	15. Day 4: Pillowtalk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really enjoyed writing this chapter, because it's filled with Sekai wholesomeness and made me smile. I hope it makes you smile too :)  
> I haven't beta read it yet, it's 2:54 AM and I have uni tomorrow. I just wanted to post it, couldn't wait. I'll check over spelling, grammar, etc tomorrow when I have time. :)  
>  
> 
> Word Count: 5.4K // Tell me what you liked, hated, wished was different, your fav character. I'd love to get your FEEDBACK/OPINION on the chapter. ♡
> 
> COMMENT, COMMENT, COMMENT.

It’s 6 in the evening and the gang doesn’t think they can handle any more of Sehun’s mopping. Everyone and their mother probably knows by now that Sehun and Kai have fought. About what exactly, remains concealed. The only other person apart from Sehun who knows the full depth of the fight was Chanyeol. 

“I think we should just go and beat him up.” Baekhyun voices out casually, leaning back on the couch with his legs spread wide open and arms crossed.

“No!” Chanyeol huffed, he never knew guarding a secret would be such tedious work but then again anything that involves Baekhyun is exactly that. “Baekhyun shut up!”

“Oh yeah, and get a suspension from the university, sure big guy.” Kyungsoo mocks from beside him as he flickers through the television channels. “You wouldn’t jeopardize anything for your GPA, shit-stirrer.” 

Unbothered by Kyungsoo’s petty insult Baekhyun continues.”Honestly, you guys need to be with operation vengeful vengeance.” 

Chanyeol turns his head to Baekhyun with wide eyes, because the operation was meant to be a secret and he thought it would be okay to entertain Baekhyun with the thought because he’d be distracting him from doing any actual harm. He can’t have Baekhyun spill out what he told him. It would cause too many complications. 

“Baekhyun seriously shut up, we don’t know why Sehun is upset with Kai,” And he leans towards him and nudges Baekhyun by the shoulder, his voice barely a whisper. “Remember?” 

“If you are insinuating that we don’t know that Kai cheated on Sehun with someone from the club a few nights ago, then you are gravely mistaken. We know, we all know.” Kyungsoo states calmly, eyes focused on the television. 

“See?” Baekhyun whispers with a devious grin. “I just edited your version, so they get super mad and want to help.” 

“Are you fucking kidding me? I specifically told you we can’t let anyone else know,” Chanyeol whispers back outraged. 

“I didn’t think it would be fair to not include Kyungsoo,” Baekhyun whispers back in a matter-of-fact. “It’s Kyungsoo. Come on. Plus, Jongdae is harmless.”

Chanyeol shout-whispers, poking Baekhyun’s chest.“Why are you always complicating things, my god you are going to hell.” 

“Been there. Devil didn’t like me and spat me back out.” Baekhyun snidely replies watching Chanyeol groan and throw his head back in defeat. 

“I’m with the operation,” Jongdae says loyally with his hand slightly raised. “Good name, by the way.”  
“Thank you, took some time but I got there.” 

Chanyeol and Kyungsoo exchange looks with pursed lips. Ever since the Baekhyun and Jongdae situation blew over, Jongdae has been following Baekhyun around like a small puppy trying to please him. It was endearing at times, but Chanyeol and Kyungsoo have been around it for over 48 hours and they cannot handle any more couple drama, let alone Baekhyun and Jongdae’s K-drama version. 

With a roll of eyes, Kyungsoo stands up tossing the television remote to Chanyeol. “I’m going to take a leak, don’t let them influence you into this fuckery.” 

As soon as Kyungsoo out of earshot, Baekyhun leans towards Chanyeol with a devious smile. “Too bad he doesn’t know you’re already recruited.” 

Chanyeol elbows Baekhyun to back away from his personal bubble. “The only reason I’m in this is to stop you two evil geniuses from ruining things.” 

Jongdae and Baekhyun look at each other before laughing. “Sure, good cover story.” 

“Almost believe you.” Baekhyun winked at Chanyeol who glares, raising his remote to intimidate but it does absolutely nothing but cause more laughter.

“Stop this before it goes too far Baekhyun!” Chanyeol tries to reason with the latter, he can’t have Sehun find out that Baekhyun knows some of the bent truth. “Sehun can’t know, he won’t forgive you.” Or me, Chanyeol thinks as an afterthought mutely.

“I know what I’m doing! It’s not the first time I’ve conducted an operation, although not this extent of planning I’ll be—“ Baekhyun pauses watching Sehun sluggishly walk into the living room looking like death has already taken his soul as if there is black smoke evaporating from his being. “honest..” 

“That’s what is worrying Baek.” Chanyeol snaps, about to smack Baekhyun but pauses when he sees how eerily quiet everyone became. He turns his head to see Sehun in his navy checked pajamas shuffling across the living to the open kitchen miserably. 

“Why are you acting like a little bitch for? Dump his ass!” Baekhyun scolded, eyeing Sehun who opens the fridge without a response turning his back to them. “You can always find a better dick if that is what’s bothering you.” 

“Sehunnie ignore him, he doesn’t know what the hell he’s talking about, okay?” Chanyeol thumps Baekhyun in his arm. “You hungry? Kyungsoo has some left-over clam soup from earlier. We’re almost done with the batch.” 

Sehun doesn’t answer, too consumed in his own self-pity party as he pulls out the milk. He wants Kai back, he didn’t realize how much Kai has flipped his life in a short amount of time. He misses Kai’s presence and his snakiness and his unruly pink hair. 

“We could binge-watch your favorite tv shows, make a day out of it,” Jongdae interjects trying to mediate the situation. “We can do whatever you like, fast-food, video-games the whole shebang.” 

“There is this saying called ‘Hakuna Ma’vodka’ it means no memories for the rest of your night. Let us do that instead.” Baekhyun adds unhelpfully pretending he’s taking shots, ignoring Chanyeol’s loud scoffing beside him. 

Sehun looks up and sees Kyungsoo leaning against the hallway entrance, behind the trio who are unaware of his presence. Kyungsoo’s sympathetic look is what causes Sehun to reach his last straw. 

“I’m going to the diner to eat my feelings,” Sehun declares his throat is sore and scratchy. Sehun ditches his cereal on the counter and walks over to the coat-hanger grabbing his oversized coat and his wallet from the bowl of random assortments beside it. 

“Want me to come with?” Chanyeol asked already about to stand up but stops when he sees Sehun shake his head. “No, I want to wallow alone like Bridget Jones when she gets dumped by Mark.” 

“So he dumped you!” Baekhyun gasps dramatically, only to get swatted on the back of his head by Kyungsoo causing him to flinch. “When did you get back?” 

“Bye.” Sehun waved lazily, slipping on his dirty sneakers and leaves with a woeful air following behind him. 

As soon as the door closes shut, Baekhyun jumps into action. 

“Okay, so I was thinking we could like do a stakeout and gather intel — code for info — and then do a 7 step plan, because everything is better in odds.” 

“The fuck you are, Byun.”

Like a savior from heaven, Kyungsoo stomps around the couch and stands in a stare-off with Baekhyun. Chanyeol has never admired Kyungsoo more. “Fuck no.” 

(——————)

The small chime of the door makes Kai’s presence know, but nobody glanced at his direction. He tugs his hood down, revealing his pastel-pink curls. It doesn’t take him long to spot Sehun in the corner booth, on his third slice of pie alongside a half-eaten stack of pancakes and ice-cream. 

Kai thinks over Minseok’s words and it makes his insides clench. He knows there is some truth in it, if not all of it, but Sehun was a special case to Kai. He’s never felt this strongly for someone, and it is quite bizarre. Because Kai may have opened Sehun to a lot of new things in their small-time together, but Sehun made Kai breathe again. 

So, with tightened fists Kai walks towards Sehun’s booth trying to keep himself composed. He’s just so exhausted, he doesn’t want to fight with people, especially Sehun. His bones ache and he wants everything to go back. He wants his fantasy world back, where Sehun doesn’t know and where he can pretend, not for everyone’s entertainment but for his own. 

Kai slides into the booth, seating himself across from Sehun. A small cough makes Kai’s presence known. Sehun squints at Kai as he bites into another mouthful of blueberry pie. 

“Are you a hallucination from my sugar high right now?” Sehun blurs out, lowering his elbows from the table. 

Kai shakes his head hurriedly already feeling tense and out-of-place. Averting his eyes, Kai focuses on the melted bowl of ice-cream. 

“How did you find me?” 

Sehun’s voice is soft and velvety, and Kai misses it. Taking a deep breath, He looks up at Sehun trying to remain stoic but the moment his eyes land on Sehun’s, his heart clenches unpleasantly. Sehun looked like he hadn’t slept and Kai can’t help but blame himself for causing that discomfort to the latter. 

“I went to the apartment, and your defense team told me you were here,” Kai explains briefly, unable to maintain eye contact for long so he looks down at his laps, tugging the hem of his sleeves out of apprehension. 

The segregated pair don’t speak, too absorbed in each other’s entire presence. Sehun’s eyes travel all over Kai as if he’s been deprived. Sehun’s nostrils engulfed the burning hint of smoke in the air, and his brain floods into overload with memories of Kai. From their first encounter to his cunning smirk and roaring laughter. But when Sehun looks at Kai carefully, he’s changed. For better or for worse, Sehun isn’t quite sure. 

“Why did you go through my phone?” Kai interrogates, unable to hold back the words he’s been itching to say any longer, the moment he spotted Sehun. Kai’s palms are pressed on his knees, trying to stop his fidgeting. 

Sehun knew he has no right to be surprised by the question, after all, he did wrong, Kai. And, he so desperately wanted to make it right. So, with his shoulders pushed back, and a small tug to his flannel pajama shirt to straighten it slightly, Sehun pours out his truth. 

“It wasn’t intentional at the beginning. You dozed off, and your phone kept ringing and god Kai, you looked so worn-out and I wanted you to at least have a decent nap so I tried to end the call but I ended up answering instead.” 

“You couldn’t leave shit that didn’t belong to you alone?” Kai scoffed, arms crossed in a defensive stance. 

“I answered saying you were busy and they should call later, but this guy said that he knew I was your boyfriend, uh fake, and kept talking about how you and him, um,” Sehun fidgets in his spot, cheeks tinting into a plum tone. “Have sex. He was very crude about it, not a nice man at all.” 

Kai’s orbs are burning into Sehun’s unable to shift them. Kai doesn’t know what hurts more, that Sehun is telling the truth and he mistreated him or that Donghae could be this cruel to toy with his life. His ribs feel like they’re compressing and Kai has to count to 15 to stop himself for spiraling. 

“I really am sorry Kai, it’s just I didn’t know how to process it all. It was an invasion of privacy, and I completely understand if you wanna quit,” Sehun hurries to explain his hands flying everywhere to emphasize his point. “But I really do hope you’d…reconsider.” 

When Kai speaks his voice trails slowly like his words are unwilling to take flight. There is a sadness in his eyes, the brown too glossy. “I wanted to believe that you couldn’t be this genuine and likable, and when I found out…I-I…the fantasy broke. Reality hit me, and I was still me, and you were still your amazing you. I was the dyslexic slut who sold himself to be able to eat, and you were this incredibly gifted genius who’s on the right path and will do great things while I’ll be forgotten as soon as the deal finishes. So when I had this one thing I could hold you accountable for, I’ve found something wrong with you. But even that didn’t stick..” 

Sehun’s brain stutters for a moment and he leans forward towards Kai with every part of him going on pause while his thoughts catch up. What throws him off guard is Kai’s wobbly voice and glassy eyes. 

“You…you better shut up!” Sehun blurs out, the moment every loose fuse in his brain connects the dots. “How dare you talk like that about yourself! A-And me! You don’t know anything if you think that’s the case. Your circumstance doesn’t mean anything, it doesn’t define you and nor does it define me! So you better shut your,” Sehun gestures at Kai’s face frenzied, his blood pressure going up with each word. “Your mouth! Okay? Okay!” 

Sehun hadn’t meant to snap at him, and Kai could tell by the look of mild shock on his face and by his cheeks that flushed pink. With Sehun’s bravado deflating as quick as it came, he busied himself with his food stuffing his mouth with pie. 

On the other hand, Kai was for once at a loss of words, because Sehun accepted him. All of his bad. All of the bad Kai himself cannot accept and it hurts. He’s so overwhelmed by the feelings Sehun keeps showing him, that it’s becoming slightly painful. He’s never experienced such a thing before. 

“I am really sorry, from like the bottom of my heart.” Kai murmurs, lacing his fingers together under the table to stop them from twitching, his eyes averted with uneasiness building up.

“I…understand where you were coming from and I should’ve known better than to ambush and question you like that. I just tend to lose my cool? My control? Whenever I’m around you. I become unsure of what to do because you’re like, so welcoming?” With a small huff, annoyed that his words aren’t coming out coherently Kai looks up at Sehun with determination to further explain himself. 

“What I’m trying to say is, I’m very sorry that I picked a fight with you, instead of being grown about it. And thank you so much for, y’know, continuously accepting me with open arms.” 

Like a fish out of the water, Sehun who wasn’t expecting this at all ended up blushing harder until he was roasting hot. Trying to ease his tension, Sehun swallows another mouthful of pie without chewing it sufficiently enough which furthers his flustering once he started to choke. Gulping his milkshake seemed to clear his airway but not his heart with Kai’s concerned gaze, that had a twinkle of amusement. 

After recovering from his sudden pie-hazard, Sehun wipes his mouth with his sleeve as he straightens himself reaching out his hand across the table. “Does this mean we’re back to being friends?” 

“Does this mean I’m forgiven?” Kai asks, letting himself be small and vulnerable. 

With a shy smile, Sehun nods and replies softly. “Well am I forgiven?” 

Kai nods his head mutely, and averts his damp eyes and looks at his lap, playing with his hoodie zipper trying to ease the knots building in his throat and stomach. He knows he should be happy, but the guilt and relief are canceling each other out. 

Sehun taps on the table, getting Kai’s attention and gestures for his hand. Hesitantly, Kai reaches over and clasps their hands together, interlocking their fingers. “We both forgive each other. So—“ 

“I wanted to hurt you, rather than you hurting me when you found out I’m a rent-boy.” Kai cuts him off abruptly, desperate to start on a clean slate properly, and that means not holding anything back anymore. “But, I’m working on it. I swear.” 

Sehun’s grip tightens around Kai in solemn support and Kai flashes him a genuine small smile, feeling the knots in his body loosen. “Let bygones be bygones?”

“Yeah,” Kai answers gratefully, as he looks out of the window finally feeling relief wash over his body. 

The rolling grey clouds rapidly became as invisible as the stars it concealed, but the air still feels humid. An idea of redemption pops into Kai’s mind, and he turns to Sehun eagerly. 

“You wanna go somewhere?”  
“Where?”

“I wanna make it up to you,” Kai explains briefly, flashing Sehun a reassuring smile. “Do you trust me?” 

Sehun nods his head dutifully, eyes wide and gleeful. “Now?” 

Kai pulls Sehun out of the booth, slapping on the table the crumbled twenty-dollar bill Minseok gave him earlier and tugs his fake-lover, but real-friend out of the diner and into the murky night with matching grins. 

The bus stop across the street is packed since most people are now returning to their homes after their long day. So when they spot the bus filling up, Kai doesn’t let go of Sehun’s hand and sprints across the street to catch-up. They manage to catch the bus, pay and find seats in the back. As they squeeze themselves in the backseats, their giggles can be heard. 

“Are you going to tell me where we’re going?” Sehun asks in-between his fit of laughter. 

Kai turns to face Sehun his smiles beaming and shakes his head as he nudges Sehun teasingly. “It’s a surprise!” 

The duo erupts in ludicrous laughter, just feeling pure bliss as they find everything hilarious with their fingers tightly interlocked. The bus keeps traveling further out of the inner city with each stop, but the pair are in their own little world unbothered by their surroundings and the people slowly disappearing. 

The gaps in the sky have darkened; the clouds are no longer white or paler grey, instead, they are blackened shadows that shift with the wind. Frost grew over the windows, but Kai and Sehun had each other’s heat to keep warm. Kai watches each breath he takes, new white puffs of air hovering around them, and he’s glad Sehun is going to be keeping his company in this very cold night. 

“Johnson Parkway.” The overhead speaker calls out three times, as the bus comes to a halt in the designated bus-stop. 

Kai elbows Sehun lightly, as he nods at the bus door indicating their drop off. The pair rush down the narrow aisle muttering their thanks to the driver, before hopping off the single-decker. 

“Isn’t this the rougher side of town?” Sehun voices looking around like a curious child.

Kai lets go of Sehun’s hand, watching the latter narrow his eyes in confusion already missing the warmth. Kai walks backward away from Sehun and stops in the middle of the quiet street. 

“Welcome to my home,” Kai throws his arms back, a devious grin plastered on his lips. “The Oasis Motel.” 

In the irregular bursts of artificial turquoise light from the sign behind Kai, Sehun can make the outline of the motel blocks. 

Sehun was not expecting any of this, most certainly for Kai to let him into his private life after their earlier incident. The place looked seedy and it made Sehun’s anxiety radar to start working. 

“I, uh, this is not what I expected,” Sehun says lamely looking around for any sudden cars but the street was dead, and he crosses the road to meet Kai halfway in the middle. “Sorry, I’m just a little spooked.” 

Not taking any offense Kai laughs, feeling more in his element. After all, this was his streets and his home. He’s been living and doing what he does for such a long time, any time before now seems to flee. 

“Come on, I’ll show you my room.” Kai’s fingers wrap around Sehun’s wrist, as they enter the actual private property grounds of the motel and Sehun tries to not look terrified. 

“I know it doesn’t look great, but it’s cheap and that overrules everything.” Kai chatted, inspecting the unsavory place. Weeds grew through the cracks in the concrete path and the litter from cheap take-out meals were strewn across it. “I’m up there, which is lucky fewer roaches.” 

Sehun scans the second floor, with its rows of faded black doors that looked like the building inspector was obviously drunk on the job. The noise was awful, Sehun thought. Piercing baby cries can be heard, as well as, at least two screaming matches going on in separate rooms. The cars in the parking lot don’t look out of place with this junkyard.

To the left, as they walked across the motel, Sehun spots a lady in a tight dress that shows off her assets as she guides an elderly gentleman with a beer gut into one of the ground floor rooms drunkenly. Kai looks at Sehun’s unreadable expression and nudges the latter to focus on him. 

“That’s Jennie, she doesn’t live here because she doesn’t like to bring work home. She lets her clients pay for rooms by the hour. Much easier and safer.” Kai informs, as his hand slips off Sehun’s wrist and fit into his palm instead. 

“Do you do that?” Sehun whispers and once he processes what he spoke his eyes widen in horror. “Oh my goodness, I am sorry. That was like below the belt. Oh god, didn’t mean to make that pun.”

Kai looks away trying to cover snorts at Sehun’s panic, throwing his head back in gushing laughter. “Relax. Bygones are bygones? No secrets anymore.” 

“Yeah.” Sehun agrees to smile, but he’s tensing because this is out of his comfort zone. “Sorry, I’m just nervous.” 

“Come on, I’ll show you my room,” Kai suggests tugging Sehun’s hand forward and Sehun trusts Kai and lets himself be guided through the parking lot with ease even though his heart was beating heavily against his ribcage.

“Did you kno—“ Kai freezes once he hears his name being called, and Sehun turns around to see an old man on the second floor, standing by the rail looking unimpressed. Kai glances at Sehun to make sure he’s alright before facing the motel owner. 

“Where is the rent money! It’s been two days!” 

Kai pulls Sehun to continue walking with him, as he yells back undaunted. “I’ll give it to you tomorrow!” 

The motel owner grumbles incoherently and Kai doesn’t bother to face him again, making their way up the metal, oxidized stairs to Kai’s room. 

“What a grumpy man,” Kai whispers in Sehun’s ear, once they hear the owner slam his door shut, causing them to laugh softly. 

They stand before motel room number 18, as Kai kicks his coir welcome mat to the side revealing a silver key. Kai picks up the key and slides back his welcome mat to its original position and unlocks the door and walks in with Sehun trekking behind him nervously because Kai is being unfiltered and honest right now and he doesn’t want to do something to ruin their high energy right now. 

“This is it.” Kai declares closing the door behind them, placing the key beside the television box. 

Sehun sees Kai’s gritty world for the first time without restriction. Sehun didn’t know what to expect, but it wasn’t this. The room was small and it contained an unmade twin bed with floral bedding, one straight-backed chair, in the corner with a murky mirror and a small table. The floor had a few empty containers of food, half a dozen packets of cigarettes and an opened duffle bag that had his clothes in.

“You don’t seem like a fan of floral.” Sehun teases, trying to ease the tension, sitting on the bed.

Kai sticks his middle finger at Sehun, as he pulls out the remainder of his money from his back pocket and he walks over to the bed and pulls out his backpack from under the bed and throws his money inside. He glances at Sehun who’s looking at him curiously. “I don’t trust banks or cleaners. So I don’t do either.” 

“Banks don’t steal, they store?” Sehun tilts his head like a confused puppy.  
“Whatever.” Kai retorts with a scowl, and Sehun can’t help but laugh feeling at ease. 

Kai takes off his infamous black hoodie, only to reveal an oversized graphic tee that almost swallows Kai’s entire skinny frame as it reaches above his knees. He snatches the television remote off the small table and turns the small screen on. 

“Why did you show me your place?” Sehun asks, observing Kai sit beside him on the bed facing the television. 

Kai side glances Sehun, his ears burning red as he tries to shrug indifferently. “You showed your world, only fair if I return the favor.” 

Sehun’s smile was one of happiness growing, much as a spring flower opens. Kai could see how it came from deep inside to light Sehun’s eyes and spread into every part of him. Every cell in Kai’s body wants to lean in and kiss Sehun’s lips but he forces himself to look away. 

Kai turns on the television and flickers through the channels. “I’ve been trying to catch up with the soap-drama you love so much by the way. It’s so cheesy.” 

“You love it secretly!” Sehun accuses prodding Kai’s arm as he takes off his coat, tossing it on the spare chair. 

“I’m only watching, just to have some good background knowledge if someone asks if you are forcing me to watch it which you are kinda.” Kai defends immediately, as he pokes Sehun back causing a small giggle to escape from Sehun’s lips. 

“Objection! Kinda is not an affirmation!” Sehun declares suddenly, unbothered that his cheeks hurt from how much he’s been smiling. 

Kai barks out a dumbstruck laugh, looking at Sehun's eyes wide. “Since when are you a lawyer? Who’s your mentor? Law and Order?”

“What are you going to do about it defendant?” Sehun insists laying down on the bed with his elbows rested behind him.

Kai lifts his left brow in amusement, loving Sehun’s carefreeness tonight. He hadn’t realized how much he missed the latter until he saw him in the diner. Kai promises himself to never fight with Sehun again, it hurts his heart far too much. So, feeling adventurous Ka lets out a roar as he leaps on top of Sehun as the pair begins to toss around in the bed play fighting. 

Sehun’s laughter exploded. Not a snigger, or a smirk but a peal of blissful, whole-hearted laughter. Before Sehun knew it, he was underneath Kai, a giggling mess with reddened cheeks. And that is when he realizes he’s drunk in love with Kai. Nothing mattered at that moment, just a pair of boys intoxicated with each other. Sehun’s smile is wide and so is Kai’s, he can’t hear what Kai is saying because he’s too immersed in Kai’s beauty; he’s unlike anyone he’s ever met. So special, so unique. 

Sehun feels giddiness in his stomach and he doesn’t care if he’s falling too fast — neither of them do. 

“Take it back!” Kai demands, his eyes bright and there’s hope in them and it warms Sehun’s heart. 

“Fine, I take it back!” Sehun shouted in spluttering laughter, never wanting this euphoria to stop. 

Kai lets go of Sehun’s wrists, turning over to lie down beside Sehun with infectious laughter. The tv provided them with white noise, but their laughter filled the small room. It was a laughter that they could feel in their lungs, so hard that it took their breaths away. The lack of oxygen didn’t matter. Their laughter created a mini holiday, relief from all the distress lodged in their minds. 

For a single moment, the lack of money to pay the bills didn’t matter to Kai. He lost the tightness in his chest. The muscles in his neck relaxed. The anguish of the past few days evaporated like rain. 

“The last time I laughed this hard was when I won the spelling bee in 5th grade.” Sehun gloated, turning his head to face Kai with only a few inches between them. 

“What word did you will with?” Kai asks, trying to stifle his titter his face radiant. 

“Hydrophyte.” Sehun exposes suppressing his laughter but fails as he chortles covering his mouth momentarily. 

“Wow!” Kai says between chuckles, his spit lip hurts but he doesn’t care. “What does it mean?” 

“An aquatic plant, one that grows only on or in water.” Sehun recites devotedly, trying to sound professional but the pair dissolve in delirious laughter enjoying each other company without being scrutinized by anyone. 

The fake couple talked throughout the night, having no concept of time and nor do they care to. Both of them far too enchanted and elated in each other’s entity. Talking with Kai was a sort of verbal dance, one charmingly in disarray that makes Sehun laugh out loud, feeling his heart switching on. It was playful banter, Sehun supposed, but he longs for it. 

They bounced from one topic to the next; discussing their big dreams, faraway galaxies, memories, music that makes them feel alive and different, magic, their favorite comics, hidden talents, planning to take over the planet, drunk habits. They were never sure if they got wittier as the night deepened or if it was just the effect of being so warm and close to each other that made everything seem non-restricting and fun. 

Kai traces Sehun’s lips lightly with the tip of his finger. He has such a strong urge to bite it, to kiss it, to wrap themselves in his duvet and listen to each other’s beating hearts and gentle breathing, watching the cotton of the duvet ripple-like skipping stones and share crooked smiles. But Kai simply cannot push himself to do anything, because if he does he knows he’ll ruin everything. 

“Can you ask me something personal about myself?” Kai’s voice is soft, barely above a whisper. 

Sehun nods his head, his own face illuminated by the moonlight trying to remain collected under Kai’s feather-light touches. “What is your mother like?” 

Kai doesn’t look up at Sehun, he can’t bring himself to. His delicate fingers dance away from Sehun’s soft lips and travel around the remainder of his features in a trance-like manner. 

“Cold. Very cold. Very stunning. And smart, she was so clever. She’d outsmart anyone and get what she wanted. She always wore her infamous red lipstick, ‘Regal Red’ it was called.” Kai’s smile doesn’t reach his eyes, but he continues anyway. “It suited her. She wanted to be a nurse, but she got pregnant with me at 17, dropped out of school and made do with being a waitress. Then walked out on my dad and me when I was 9.” 

Their gazes lock with one another as if at that moment their souls have made a bridge. 

“Your dad?” Sehun murmurs, taking Kai’s wondering hand away from him and interlocking their fingers. 

“Living and gambling on welfare checks. He was nice, almost sweet. But couldn’t really handle my mother. She was too self-absorbed, and he lacked ambition. They just outbalanced each other. So, when she left, he lost it. A shell of a man that downs his six packs in his double-wide trailer.” 

Sehun hums, rubbing his thumb in a circular motion on Kai’s hand. 

“My mother is a housewife, she devoted her life to her kids. Always dotting on me and Suho, it was sometimes suffocating but I would never complain because I knew her intentions were good. She made me take dance for like 5 years until she realized I’m a terrible dancer,” The bed vibrates with their quiet laughter. “I don’t know when I’m going to need tap-dancing..” 

Kai’s eyes are almost closed, his slumber calling his name but he wants to stay with Sehun in this safe place away from the world. Just him and Sehun. “Your…dad?” 

“He’s a judge, a little bighead because of his success rate,” Sehun dwells on all his father’s boasting accomplishments at the dinner table when he was a youngster. “Tough love was his way, tried to force Suho and me with completing his unfulfilled dreams but here I am a future English teacher and Suho a vet with his own clinic. So, I can say it honestly did not work but that’s…. ”

Sehun stops talking once he realizes Kai fell asleep, and Sehun’s heart swells at the sight. He gently tugs the floral duvet over both their bodies with his free hand, not letting go of Kai’s hand but neither is Kai with his iron-grip. 

Sehun closed his own eyes, as his consciousness ebbed, and his mind went into free-fall, swirling with the beautiful chaos of a new dream next to his beau.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All I ask in return for writing is commenting. That's it ♡
> 
> \--PSA PSA PSA PSA PSA PSA PSA PSA --
> 
> PSA: I don't like to nag at all but I am pouring my energy, focus and time into this story and only to get one-worded comments or no comments at all. (a lot do actually take the time to comment♡)
> 
> I'm not asking for a full book report (although that would be MARVELOUS) I'm just asking to be paid with your thoughts, opinions, and feedback. Please comment properly by telling me what you thought, it feels a little u̲n̲f̲a̲i̲r̲ that I post +5K chapters most of the time and s͎t͎i͎l͎l͎ ͎g͎e͎t͎ ͎b͎a͎r͎e͎l͎y͎ ͎a͎n͎y͎ ͎c͎o͎m͎m͎e͎n͎t͎s͎
> 
> (People who do comment know themselves, luv u ♡) but a BIG portion of my readers don't bother, and it upsets me because that is the only thing I wish for in return.
> 
>  
> 
> 𝕀'𝕞 𝕛𝕦𝕤𝕥 𝕒𝕤𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕠 𝕓𝕖 𝕡𝕒𝕚𝕕 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤, 𝕠𝕡𝕚𝕟𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕤 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕗𝕖𝕖𝕕𝕓𝕒𝕔𝕜.  
> 𝘐'𝘮 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴, 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬.  
> 𝐈'𝐦 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬, 𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤.  
> 𝙸'𝚖 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚊𝚜𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚙𝚊𝚒𝚍 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜, 𝚘𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚍𝚋𝚊𝚌𝚔.


	16. Day 3: Backpedal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 4.9K word count // Tell me what you liked, hated, wished was different, your fav character. I'd love to get your FEEDBACK/OPINION on the chapter. ♡
> 
> I'm drowning in uni work, I've got 4 research papers, 3 presentations, 2 reaction papers and I thought it was a clever idea to sign up to 3 different clubs. 
> 
> _______________
> 
> Anywho, this chapter is more of their interaction with each other without any external factors (people, places, things, etc). The next chapter is gonna be waaaaay more exciting and fun. 
> 
> hint-hint: a plane is involved :) 
> 
> 𝐈'𝐦 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬, 𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤.  
> 𝐈'𝐦 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬, 𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤.  
> 𝐈'𝐦 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬, 𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤.

Everything was blurry. For a moment Kai forgot who and where he was. As he squints at the sunlight peeking between the curtains, he closes his eyes briefly trying to soak in the warmth of the light and the covers. Slowly and unwillingly, he blinks his eyes open. The welcoming rays dissolved any tension in his body, as he sits up realizing he isn’t alone. 

Sehun is beside him sound asleep, in a deep slumber. Last night’s events bombard his memory in such a quick and aggressive manner like an unrelenting tide and Kai can’t seem to keep his head above water. He gets out of the bed hurriedly as if he’s truly drowning but instead of the sea, it was his thoughts. 

He clenches the back of the chair by the window trying to stabilize his stance and remind himself that he’s alright and he is in his motel room. But the vile thoughts that Sehun was just pretending and playing along to Kai’s fantasy keep accelerating inside his head. Kai needed them to stop so he could breathe but they won’t. His breaths came in rapid gasps and he keeps blinking spotting black dots in his vision and he hopes he doesn’t blackout. 

Kai isn’t sure how long it takes him to pull himself out of his panic attack, but once his hearing comes back to him and the silence isn’t suffocating him, Kai lets himself collapse on the chair exhausted.

He stares at the disregarded cigarette packet by the windowsill, and he tries to backpedal to what triggered him. He knows why however the what isn’t clarified. 

He was too open; he let Sehun into his world and wasn’t rejected, he let Sehun see his life and he wasn’t rejected, he let his guard down and wasn’t rejected but most of all, Kai let his soul be touched by Sehun and he, himself didn’t reject that touch. It was an internal and constant war in his head, whether or not to let himself see the potential himself and Sehun could have.

But love scared Kai dearly because it’s intangible. 

As he reaches for the cigarette packet and pulls out the lighter and a cancer stick in one-go, he concludes he was drunk on love last night. He let all his fears and doubts go and dived headfirst into Sehun’s entire entity. The sudden panic attack doesn’t seem too sudden anymore to him if anything he’d consider this the hangover for his mistakes last night. 

Kai coils up in the chair with his knees pulled up to his chest, leaving the unlit cigarette dangling between his lips. He turns his head back to Sehun’s sleeping frame and Kai’s heart pangs at the rush of affection gushing through his bloodstream. He’s accepted that he’s fallen for Sehun blindly but that was out of his control, it wasn’t his intention and that’s what terrified him more. 

With the tip of his fingers, he widens the opening of the curtain where the sunshine is coming from and peaks at the outside world like an omniscient narrator peeking at his universe 

“Midday,” Kai mutters, his voice barely above a whisper. 

Lighting his cigarette, Kai watches people go on their normal, ordinary lives unlike himself who’s stuck in a path that doesn’t benefit him in any way. Exhausted from his panic attack, the nicotine is a small reliever but it doesn’t quite make the tightness in his stomach go away. 

As swirls of smoke surround him, he glances back at Sehun’s unconscious state wary that the smoke might wake Sehun up. 

“Fucking hell..” Kai rubs his eyes with his palms roughly trying to stop the thoughts from bombarding him so quickly, unbothered by the ash dropping on his knees.

He tries to refocus his attention on the outside world again, and it works momentarily. He sees an elderly lady dressed in far too many layers and patterns and colors, an adolescent couple huddled together as they kiss, middle-aged gentlemen looking grey in the face and attire, a single mother with three kids surrounding her in slightly large coats, and it makes Kai pause. 

It’s not like these were new people to Kai, he sees them often but the single mother reminds him of his broken home. She looks tired, but she was always smiling towards her children and Kai purposely blows the smoke in their direction to blur their image. 

His mother never smiled at him, and it makes him feel cold at the fingertips. He was inside this box of a room with a beau he’s fallen for but can’t have, and a lifestyle that’s gritty and shouldn’t be romanticized. 

Kai can hear Sehun’s shuffling in bed, but he doesn’t turn to check. Far too bitter for this day. He stares at the mother telling her kids something exciting as they bounce and grin and Kai inhales the nicotine deciding he won’t have kids. What stories would he have for his children that aren’t full of animosity and bleak? 

“You shouldn’t smoke so early in the morning.” Sehun's groggy voice echoes in the small room. 

Kai flicks his cigarette sourly, as the bus finally arrives at the station hiding the lined up figures. “If I get past the age of 30, it would be a miracle.” 

Sehun sits up with the bedsheets gathered around his lap as he stares at Kai’s outline with the soft sunlight shadowing Kai’s features. The cigarette smoke danced around Kai’s huddled state with his fingers placed between the shutter curtains lazily peaking outdoors; letting a thin stream of sunlight in.

Sehun can’t help but thinks the scene before him is mesmerizing, almost poetic. 

“Do you want to get some breakfast?” Sehun asks his voice still croaky.

Kai doesn’t reply immediately, his mind far too foggy. He closes his eyes and hopes to disperse like the smoke he inhales. He’s afraid, he can hear his heart’s pit-patter get quicker once he hears the bed creak indicating Sehun’s departure from the bed. He can smell Sehun’s strawberry shampoo as the latter stands beside the window glancing through the glass, and Kai doesn’t want to open his eyes. 

“I think this is the first time in a while I skipped classes,” Sehun admits shyly, finally turning around to face Kai, but he stills once he sees the rosy-head. “A-Are you alright?” 

Kai snaps his eyes open, eyes blazing with animosity. “It’s mid-fucking-day, breakfast finished a while ago.” 

Sehun doesn’t take Kai’s attitude to heart, his emotions were at a constant rollercoaster and for once Sehun knows it’s not personal. But an internal struggle Kai is trying to find a solution for. 

“Well, there is this Mexican food truck by the park,” Sehun begins his voice treading on eggshells trying to not go a tone higher or lower, his eyes focused on Kai’s shaky fingers. “Want to get some brunch instead?” 

Kai follows Sehun’s gaze and his eyes land on his shaky hands, and for once he doesn’t know the answer, he doesn’t want to. Abruptly standing up, Kai tucks his hands behind his back as he walks over to his pile of clothes by his duffle bag. 

“I got some clean clothes,” Kai declares, extending an olive branch in the form of a baggy shirt. 

His demons are fighting to take over his mind, but Sehun’s beaming smile as he takes the shirt is a tough contender. 

(————)

The commute to the park was the complete opposite of last night’s. The air is thick and Sehun keeps glancing back at Kai trying to read his energy and know exactly what’s bothering him. Sehun doesn’t want Kai to ache, he wants to help. 

Sehun watches Kai stare through the window, his head resting on the glass. He looks exhausted, and it makes Sehun wonder if Kai is always exhausted but he hadn’t noticed yesterday since it was nothing short of incredible.

“I must be a war inside there,” Sehun whispers under his breath once Kai pinches the bridge of his nose. 

Sehun reaches out to place his hand in an act of comfort, over Kai’s shaky ones. But before they could touch, Kai crosses his arms over his chest and Sehun’s heart aches a little. It’s not personal, he kept repeating. 

“Last night was so much fun,” Sehun begins his smile soft, but Kai wasn’t looking at him; he couldn’t. “I don’t think I laughed that hard in a long time.” 

“Why was it fun? I didn’t fuck you.” Kai’s voice is monotonous, pressing his fingertips against the window so he doesn’t dig them into his knees instead. 

“I-I wasn’t expecting you to?” Sehun stammers. 

Kai turns around with hooded eyes, his face inches away from Sehun’s. “So you wouldn’t flinch if I kissed you?” 

Sehun’s blush seared through his cheeks and he didn’t know where to look since Kai was at such close approximately. He did something out of character and push Kai back into his own personal space. “There is, uh, no reason for us to kiss?” 

Kai nods once in affirmation and turns away to stare at the blurring shapes and colors through the window. His shaky hands laid flat on his thighs and Sehun bites his bottom lip worried if he’d done something wrong. 

Since this wasn’t the behavior he was expecting out of Kai, he’d thought they reached a new level of their friendship — regardless if he wanted more, Sehun wouldn’t push it; he’s grateful Kai’s still here. 

It’s not personal, Sehun repeats the mantra in his mind. 

(—————)

When they hop off the bus and begin walking towards the park, Sehun decides he’s going to have to lead today, and it does make him anxious but Kai’s dark orbs worry him more. It’s clear Kai isn’t feeling 100% and Sehun concludes that it’s okay, he’ll fill the rest of the 100%. 

Sehun slides his hand into Kai’s an act of support but Kai snatches his hand away as if he’s been burned. 

“What are you doing?” Kai quizzed, voice hostile and eyes narrow. 

Sehun expected this, yet he was unprepared so he blurred out. “Why not?” 

Kai’s brows furrowed even further together. “Because there isn’t anyone you know around?” 

“I know…I just thought,” Sehun pauses trying to not sound peculiar, and ends up with extending his pinky finger as if that’s any better. “Pinky promise you won’t laugh?” 

It didn’t sound like a command if anything it sounded like request. Nevertheless, Kai hooks his pinky with Sehun’s trying to not react to the electricity traveling in his body from their touch. 

“Your hands are warm and mine are cold, so I thought I can keep warm if we, uh, held hands.” Sehun lies lamely because had he said the truth that Kai’s hands were freezing and kept shaking then Kai would lash out defensively. 

Kai squints at him, trying to detect any falseness but his head is filled with too many horrid memories and inner judgment to focus on Sehun. Kai doesn’t reply, instead, he leaves his pinky attached to Sehun’s. 

Sehun trying to not jump in giddiness that his plan is going swell. 

The park isn’t too far, and Kai just wants to be left alone. He doesn’t like that he enjoys being close to Sehun like this. Acting like boyfriends, who slept in the same bed and woke up the next day to go on a brunch run. His imagination is at the full blockage. Sehun’s sincere nature terrified him. 

They enter the park and memories of their ‘morning date’ are fresh in Kai’s mind. He doesn’t want to care, it hurts too much. 

“There it is! You are going to love the steak burrito they have.” Sehun pointed at the silver truck with its festival lights and decoration.

As Kai gets dragged by Sehun to line up for the food, he cants help but stares at Sehun trying to understand when did he truly falls for him. Why did he agree to be his fake boyfriend in that convenience store that night? Sehun Brough colors to his world and Kai is afraid. 

“Why are we even doing here?” Kai sneers pull his pinky free from Sehun and shoving his hands into his hood pockets. 

Sehun tries to not react. “To eat? Or are you not hungry? We can go and find something else you’d like.” 

Kai just purses his lips and looks away trying to hold back the mean words urging to leave his mouth. 

“We could go to the diner and have food there? I won’t force you to try the pancakes.” Sehun joked but his smile slips when Kai rolls his eyes. “Maybe not…” 

“I need to leave soon, the rent won’t pay itself,” Kai mutters kicking the dirt before gazing back at Sehun in mild-disdain. “What? You thought just because you found out I fuck for money I’ll stop?” 

Sehun’s eyes widen like an owl and shakes his head immediately. “No! Not at all. I didn’t really think of—“ 

“What? You just assumed I’ll change and be the perfect citizen? Just have my shit figured out in the span of a night? I’m a fucking curse—“ 

“Would you let me finish!” Sehun snaps, eyes closed trying to keep his breathing normal. He knows that people are looking at them because of their raised voices and he didn’t like the unwanted attention. “Please?” 

“Go ahead.” Kai gestures, his icy stare causing Sehun to look away for a moment. 

“I just…”Sehun shakes his head softly because he wants to tell Kai that he isn’t a curse and he doesn’t need to pretend when he’s around Sehun and how he genuinely thinks Kai is a phenom but nothing comes out. “I’m sorry if I gave that impression…” 

“Yeah watch your fucking mouth next time,” Kai warns, tugging the hood over his head slowly but surely going further into his shell. 

Sehun nods his head stiffly and faces the front of the line, trying to not let the stare of people bother him but the more he thought about it the more his heart clenched. He didn’t understand why Kai was so aggressive with him. He replays last night’s events trying to find a clue on what he’d done wrong. 

As the duo stands in awkward silence, they finally move up the line to the front of the truck. 

“Do you want the steak burrito?” Sehun glances at Kai who shrugs indifferently. 

Sehun tightens his grip on his credit card, his face reddening by Kai’s rude behavior. 

“Hello. Can we have 2 steak burritos, 2 horchatas, and a chicken burrito bowl?” Sehun politely orders and then remembers Kai doesn’t like sweet things. “1 horchata and a bottle of water actually.”

Sehun pays with his card and the wait for their foo begins. 

Sehun isn’t sure if this is a mind game of Kai’s to be nice one minute, then horrid the next. But he doesn’t want to be part of this cruel game. He likes Kai, a lot. Regardless if they’ve barely known each for less than 2 weeks. The amount of intimacy they shared during that short period made Sehun’s heart swell and shoulders relax whenever Kai is around. So, when last night happened they were totally unguarded and unfitted with no one else around them to judge them, Sehun was certain he has fallen for Kai’s charms. 

“Here is your food, enjoy!” The chef announces, handing Sehun the burritos paper bag in one hand and the other the burrito bowl, while Kai held the drinks. 

Sehun thanked him and followed Kai and Sehun frowns in disappointment. It isn’t easy to lead when you have a hostile jaguar in front of you. So Sehun decides to speak up, not wanting to give up on Kai. 

“Wanna sit on the grass? It’s sunny enough to not be hot or maybe the shade by the big oak tree?”

“Whatever,” Kai muttered, walking towards a more secluded area on the freshly cut grass where Sehun had pointed at. 

It makes Sehun beam, he doesn’t have to be at the front to lead he deduces. Once they settle down, Kai pulls his hood off revealing his flattened pastel-pink strands and Sehun watches Kai in wonder because Kai's strong contrast of physical appearance to his own is funny because they shouldn’t be even interacting to an outer eye, but yet they get along so well. Usually.

“Why are you staring?” Kai asks, snapping Sehun out of his thoughts. 

“Your hair dye is fading,” Sehun explained gently, as he places the chicken bowl between them. 

Consciously Kai tugs his hair before letting it flop. “Is it bad?” 

Sehun can’t help but flash him a reassuring smile. Kai reminds him of a small child, and Sehun wants to take care of him. 

Sehun shakes his head. “It gives you a soft look.” 

“But I’m rough around the edges,” Kai admits, his shoulders seem to have sagged as if he’s been carrying the weight of the world. “I want to change it…” 

Sehun’s smile widens because there still is the hope of Kai, there’s always hope. “What color are you thinking of dye it?” 

Something in Kai changes and his orbs is on fire, ready to tear down anything and everything. “Well fucking can’t can I? My clients like my hair pink, it gives me a youthful aesthetic. Don’t be dumb.” 

Sehun doesn’t reply, not immediately. Instead, he opens his burrito’s wrap and glances upwards at Kai’s stormy expression. “Did I do something wrong?” 

Sehun doesn’t think it’s possible, but Kai’s face changes with so many different emotions clearly taken back by the question and Sehun’s tender tone. Kai doesn’t answer instead he stares intently at Sehun almost studying him and Sehun realizes how much Kai is trying to fight whatever he’s thinking. 

You made me fall in love with you, Kai thinks but doesn’t dare to utter it to the world. 

“One minute I think I’m beginning to understand you and the next I’m not even sure if I’m on square one,” Sehun says when Kai doesn’t speak. “You are an enigma.” 

“I have to be, to protect myself.” Kai responses, fiddling with the foil wrapping of his own burrito. 

“Why? I-I won’t hurt you..” Sehun knows for a fact he’s blushing but it needs to be said. He needs to stop whatever is happening to Kai, his repetitive cycle of keeping people at an arm’s length. “You always keep everyone at a distance…” 

Kai realizes he isn’t as tough as he though. He realizes he exhausted from pretending. He realizes he doesn’t want his bleak life any longer because Sehun made everything a ray of sunshine. He needs to protect himself because what he and Sehun have has an expiration date. 3 days. 

“You will hurt me.” Kai whispers, unsure if he wants Sehun to hear him. Expose his secret. 

“Why would you think I’d hurt you? I can’t even hurt a fly!” Sehun gapes, eyes filled with concern; a mirror image of Kai’s. 

“You will,” Kai confesses, ripping the grass. “I woke up and felt happy, and it totally freaked me out. You saw me last night, every raw part of me, and you still didn’t mind. You didn’t try to undermine me, break me as all the other guys did. And…that’s what terrifies me.” 

Sehun watches Kai keep ripping chunks of grass and putting them in a pile as if trying to organize his own thoughts. It made sense to Sehun now. He understood. “You’re afraid to be happy.”

It wasn’t a question, but a fact. 

“Once you’re happy it can be taken from you.” Kai breathed. “You’re my antithesis in every way, so why do I not hate you?” 

Sehun frowns, sitting up straight with a look that could only be described as an angry kitten. “Just because we are opposites doesn’t mean we can’t get along!” 

“It shouldn’t work! I know damn well the moment the wedding is over and the deal is done, we are going to go back to our own lives. I’m not angry at that, I’m angry that I forgot and let myself believe.” 

“Bold of you to assume that I will stop being friends with you. Someone told me to not give a shit what people think of me, and do what I want,” Sehun retorts poking Kai’s chest. “And if that wasn’t clear, which I think it was, uh, the someone is you.” 

Kai couldn’t help but scoff in disbelief. “You swore. You said shit.” 

“I know, it feels weird.” Sehun agrees, and touches his lips before realizing he needs to get his point across and shakes his head and shoulders for another round. “But like I was saying, being opposites shouldn’t matter. I always think about how we are very much different. But not in a bad way, it’s good to be out of the norms, no?” 

Kai shakes his head, his thoughts bouncing around in his mind but he can’t seem to put them into words. Sehun takes the chance to speak. 

“You’re impulsive and I’m cautious, you’re confident and I stare at the floor, you’re parties and I’m rerun specials. Don’t you get it? It’s what makes us work, our different-everything.” Sehun throws his hands in the air dramatically watching Kai’s tight expression slowly disappear. 

“I had the most fun last night in such a long time, and I don’t want it to stop because you think I’m pretending to be your friend until the wedding then I’ll ditch you. I-I can’t do that to you, you mean so much to me already.” 

“Yeah?” Kai looked at Sehun’s eyes wide and vulnerable and Kai doesn’t look so tough and big.   
“Yes. Of course. Like a million percent yes.” 

“I’m not doing good up here,” Kai taps the side of his head, giving Sehun a sad smile before averting his eyes back to his burrito finally opening it. “But I’m…I’m working on it, y’know?” 

“I know.” Sehun squeezes Kai’s knee in support. 

 

(—————)

“Why won’t you try it? It’s not that sweet.” Sehun persisted as Kai pushes away the horchata. 

“I don’t want to! It has milk in, that’s really fattening.” Kai grumbled as he tugs Sehun freehand with him as the pair step into the street. “That’s not healthy.”

“Actually that’s not true, they make it with fresh ingredients so it’s not empty calories,” Sehun explains, walking across the empty street beside Kai. “You need to try it.” 

Kai shakes his head in disdain, as they land on the other side of the pavement. He, however, does not let go of Sehun’s sleeve. “We’re getting close.” 

“I told you, that you don’t need to make it up to me. I get it, you were having a bad day. You weren’t 100% and that’s okay.” Sehun reassures, taking the last sips of his cool beverage. 

“I know, but I was being an unnecessary asshole and I want you to meet Minnie.” Kai guides Sehun through the street, their arms swinging and his head doesn’t feel so heavy anymore. 

Sehun heard about Minnie several times and he seemed like a sincere person. He just worried that it would be someone like Donghae. He doesn’t think he’ll be alright if he meets someone who’s been intimate with his Kai. It doesn’t settle well in his stomach, and abruptly he throws his horchata in the nearest trash can. 

“Minnie is a good guy, he takes care of me…sometimes.” Kai glances at Sehun with a small smile and Sehun can’t help but think it’s beautiful and how Kai is depriving the world of his eternal loveliness. 

“This is it. His cafe.” The pair stand before the entrance for a moment, it was clear Kai was a little nervous but he pushed it away because he had people who were good to him and he doesn’t want to let them down anymore. “He’s probably in the back or something.” 

The fake-couple enter the bustling coffee shop. Kai glances around trying to spot his favorite cafe owner but instead, he’s spotted by his arch-enemy. 

“What the hell are you doing here trash?” Tao, the college employee, scoffs as he pulls out a pastry from the glass case. 

“None of your business fuck-face.” Kai retorts just as heatedly, and Sehun feels like the third wheel of a soon to fight that he wants no part in. 

“Tao how many times do I have to tell you can’t yell at costumers,” Minseok’s voice gravitates from the back door of the coffee shop and merges to the front with a tray of chocolate chip cookies ready to be displayed. “Guys I’m sorry for my employees behav—Kai? What a fun surprise.” 

Minseok’s smile was fatherly and it made Sehun’s heart warm because Kai seemed to have someone good. Minseok’s inky hair was tied into a bun with loose strands, his apron covered in flour and looked well into his late 30’s from his faint wrinkles, but other than that he looked so welcoming. 

“Uh you seem busy, we’ll come another time.” Kai blurred out, already turning around. 

“Nonsense, I’ll be out in two minutes! Have a seat.” Minseok gestured with a knowing smirk at Sehun who’s standing beside Kai awkwardly. 

Kai can’t even retort because Minseok already disappeared through the back doors after ordering one of the other employees to stack the cookies. Kai dutifully walked over to one of the empty tables near the window, it was a tight space but they made it work. 

Sehun tries to not blush at the fact their shoulders are touching. He didn’t know why he’d get shy at moments like this. They held hands constantly, and yesterday they shared a bed but Sehun’s heart racing at their close shoulder approximately. 

“He seems sweet.” Sehun voices, looking down at the table trying to ease his beating heart. 

“I—he really is, Minnie is the best.” Kai agrees awkwardly, he was letting two parts of his world collide and he wasn’t sure if this was the right decision. 

“How did you two, uh, meet?” Sehun stutters glancing at Kai who’s making circles on the table with his index finger. 

“Here. He found me, or I found him. I’m not sure..”Kai answered quietly, he doesn’t want to remember it brought horrid memories prior to their meeting. “I’m just glad we found each other, y’know?” 

“There you guys are! I know the cafe is a little crowded, but business is booming.” Minseok exclaims with a wide grin as he places the tray he’s been carrying on the table. “On the house for Kai and his friend…” 

“Kim Sehun.” Sehun interlocks his fingers together tightly, trying to not squirm. It felt like he’s meeting an in-law then he internally cringes at himself for going that far. 

“Kim Sehun. “ Minseok repeats, before distributing the three mugs and placing a plate of his freshly baked goods in the middle. “An absolute pleasure. I’ve heard so much about you.” 

Sehun’s ears perk up and glance to his side only to see Kai glaring at Minseok like an annoyed pup. It was endearing to see. “Really? I well, I wanna say I heard a lot about you but not really. Oh wow, that sounded less awkward and mean in my head, what I meant to say is thank you very much and I’m sorry?” 

“No need to apologize.” Minseok chuckles lightheartedly. “How are you guys? Yifan told me the wedding is in 2 days or so?” 

Kai sits up, eyes glowing like a snake ready to strike. “I forgot he’s coming to the wedding. Prick..” 

Sehun glances between them as he lifts his own mug close to his lips. “Who’s Yifan?”

“Yifan is a friend of one of the grooms, and he met—“ Minseok gets cut off by Kai.   
“It’s that tall dickhead we met with your brother, the ridiculously bird looking ass.” 

Minseok shakes his head his smile never leaving his lips, watching Kai get into a huff. “Yifan also owns half of this place.” 

“And you don’t particularly like him right?” Sehun asks Kai cautiously, who scoffs in reply as an affirmation drinking his own beverage. Once Sehun takes a sip of the warm drink he realizes it was hot chocolate. 

“You don’t like sweet things, but you’ll drink hot chocolate?” Sehun gapes incredulously poking Kai’s shoulder. 

“Minseok makes it really well…” Kai confesses quietly looking like a child who got caught, ignoring Minseok’s loud laughter in the background. 

“So you do have a secret sweet-tooth I knew it!” Sehun grins victoriously and begins to poke Kai repeatedly causing Kai to swipe him away but his lips are stretched into a sincere smile. “I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!” 

“He really likes peanut butter too, and anything that has a crunch to it.” Minseok exposes playfully only to get a pout from Kai. “And his favorite dish is—“

“Minnie!”   
“Chicken!” 

Sehun smirks and declares that he likes Minseok, they’ll get along just great. He doesn’t feel the pressure of meeting someone new like Minseok, because he makes Sehun feel like they’ve known each other for a long, long time. 

“So Sehun do you have any hobbies?” Minseok requests leaning back with a gentle aura. “I personally like to bake, as you can see.” 

Kai watches Sehun break out his shell and actively interact with Minseok without his previous cautious demeanor. It made him glad, that Sehun has grown so much in such a short time. Sehun turns to Kai who’s ogling at him openly and for those precious moments they were happy and unbothered. Sehun knew he was lucky he bumped into Kai that night and vomited on his shoes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All I ask in return for writing is commenting. That's it ♡
> 
> \--PSA PSA PSA PSA PSA PSA PSA PSA --
> 
> PSA: I don't like to nag at all but I am pouring my energy, focus and time into this story and only to get one-worded comments or no comments at all. (a lot do actually take the time to comment♡)
> 
> I'm not asking for a full book report (although that would be MARVELOUS) I'm just asking to be paid with your thoughts, opinions, and feedback. Please comment properly by telling me what you thought, it feels a little u̲n̲f̲a̲i̲r̲ that I post +5K chapters most of the time and s͎t͎i͎l͎l͎ ͎g͎e͎t͎ ͎b͎a͎r͎e͎l͎y͎ ͎a͎n͎y͎ ͎c͎o͎m͎m͎e͎n͎t͎s͎
> 
> (People who do comment know themselves, luv u ♡) but a BIG portion of my readers don't bother, and it upsets me because that is the only thing I wish for in return.
> 
>  
> 
> 𝕀'𝕞 𝕛𝕦𝕤𝕥 𝕒𝕤𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕠 𝕓𝕖 𝕡𝕒𝕚𝕕 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤, 𝕠𝕡𝕚𝕟𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕤 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕗𝕖𝕖𝕕𝕓𝕒𝕔𝕜.  
> 𝘐'𝘮 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴, 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬.  
> 𝐈'𝐦 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬, 𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤.  
> 𝙸'𝚖 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚊𝚜𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚙𝚊𝚒𝚍 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜, 𝚘𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚍𝚋𝚊𝚌𝚔.


	17. Day 2: Pre-Wedding Vacation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang finally board a plane to get to Hawaii for the upcoming wedding. And, shit goes down in a strip club and a karaoke bar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologise for my lateness, but since I'm in my junior year of uni I am almost always busy. Whenever I do get some free time, I am writing. So, I have finally after two weeks of on and off again writing I have finally written this 10.8K chapter for you guys to enjoy ❤
> 
> ♡𝐈'𝐦 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬, 𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤♡

“I thought you were joking when you said we’re flying to Hawaii this morning.” Kai nudges Sehun as they trot along the line to enter the airplane. “I would’ve brought some clothes or something. “ 

Sehun gestures to his navy suitcase and whispers. “We can share, it’s okay.” 

Kai glances down at his attire, in a classic oversized ebony hood with matching black jeans and converse. “That’d be nice.” 

Baekhyun narrows his eyes at the couple in front of him, then turns to the rest of the group beside him with fire in his eyes. Ready to cause chaos. 

“We need to get ‘Operation; Vengeful Vengeance Part One’ started immediately.” 

“Why are we taking an 8 A.M flight on a Friday? I had to wake up at like 5 just to pack..” Chanyeol grumbles, ignoring Baekhyun unable to handle the mini spawn of satan so early in the day. He rests his chin on top of Kyungsoo’s head but gets swiped away immediately. 

“I handed in my last assignment at midnight, and I got excited about the wedding so I’m pulling an all-nighter or day-er? Is that a thing?” Jongdae inquires but shakes his head in disregard. “Anyway, I’m going to sleep the whole way. All 9 hours baby.” 

“Don’t say baby again.” Kyungsoo orders, shrugging Chanyeol’s arm off his shoulder. 

“Hello? Bitches? Why are you ignoring me right now? Especially you, Probation.” Baekhyun glares at Jongdae and pokes him in the shoulder. “Thanks for asking by the way, but I didn’t sleep also. I was plotting that pink starburst’s revenge exposé plan. Which reminds me, Kyungsoo and Chanyeol both of you have one strike for your treacherous actions last night.” 

“Call me bitches again and I will shove your head up Jongdae’s ass, you intolerable fuck llama.” Kyungsoo stares coldly as he readjusts his backpack. 

“Yeah, super scary. Got it. Real clever. Super original.” Baekhyun mocks childishly, but once Kyungsoo takes a step forward towards him Baekhyun rushes to stand behind Jongdae and stick his middle finger at Kyungsoo. “You can’t hit me in public.” 

“Baekhyun I’m with you on this, but let us not get carried away?” Jongdae adds in trying to defuse the enviable of happening. He wants to win over Baekhyun, but he isn’t sure if ruining a relationship is the way to go. “They really seem to like each other. They look happy y’ know?”

Everyone stares at the direction of the fake couple who seem engrossed in their own little world as they exchange quiet hushes and bright smiles among themselves. 

“Yeah, we looked like that as well Jongdae,” Baekhyun comments solemnly, averting his eyes from the happy couple to his phone, trying to suppress the word-vomit that is about to come out. 

Chanyeol wraps his arm around Kyungsoo but gets shrugged off, again. “We are trying to mend the situation Baekhyun, not worsen it. Just because we told Kai where Sehun was 2 days ago doesn’t mean we’re backstabbers.” 

“How about we try and enjoy the trip and the wedding? And not argue so early in the morning?” Jongdae requests, putting on his baseball cap. 

“How about you shut the fuck—“ Baekhyun’s voice gets cut off by a panicked Chanyeol. 

“How are you even invited again? Baekhyun put an (x) on a plus one?” Chanyeol squints as if to scan him into admitting the truth but he did not look intimidating at all, instead, he looks like someone who has misplaced his glasses. 

Chanyeol isn’t part of the Jongdae fan club, but having an angry Baekhyun in a confined space for over 9 hours with less than half a meter radius is a nightmare. But having an upset Baekhyun within that same radius is pure hell. 

“I’m Junmyeon and Sehun’s cousin? Literally, blood-related.” Jongdae answers slowly his brows furrowed in confusion. “You forgot didn’t you?”

Chanyeol looks away pretending to be embarrassed for the sake of not having Baekhyun explode on Jongdae. He’s taking one for the team, he concludes silently. “A lot of things have been happening these few days. I’m going to need a Xanax and some Pina Coladas as soon as we land.” 

As everyone finally steps into the airplane and shuffle their way through the aisle to find their designated seats, the realization hits Kai that he is officially inside an airplane makes his stomach tighten in knots as if there’s a pile of rocks settled inside. 

“Remind me again how everyone can pay for all of this?” Kai asks, trying to ignore his apprehension as they pass by the first class and enter the business sector. 

Sehun looks back at Kai with a bright smile, and it makes Kai feel uneasy at how quick his heart fluttered. “Lay was the one who paid for everyone since he’s like a zillionaire. We’re all broke.” 

Baekhyun scoffs loudly, unimpressed and ungrateful. “Then why didn’t he get us a private jet, like him and Suho, instead of throwing us in business class?”

“Because Suho wanted some alone time with his future husband before they are officially married,” Sehun explains, finally stopping to place his luggage in the compartment above. “Do you want the window seat?” 

Kai doesn’t answer he just shuffles into the seat, trying to calm his nerves and not ruin his persona in front of everyone. A yelp causes both him and Sehun to glance behind them, watching Baekhyun rub the back of his head as Kyungsoo eyes him disgruntled. 

“You should be grateful that he even paid for you. I wouldn’t even pay for you if I was him.” Kyungsoo thundered enters the 4 seater row, beside Sehun and Kai’s two-seater and locates himself on the aisle seat and Chanyeol beside him. “I don’t think I’d even invite you to my future wedding.” 

“You wouldn’t even get married if I wasn’t there to wingman you through your future soulmate.” Baekhyun snaps without bothering to look up from his plane ticket trying to navigate his seat. 

Kai was far too wrapped up in his own world to focus on the petty argument happening beside him. His hands clasped tightly in front of his stomach, he’s fiddling with his knuckles, weaving his fingers in and out of each other. 

Sehun plops himself beside him but Kai is staring out of the window trying to mask his fear. Sehun taps Kai’s wrist mutely and Kai turns around giving him a stiff smile. “What?” 

“You don’t look too good,” Sehun answers sheepishly, but as soon as the words leave his mouth, he realizes what is happening. “You’re…scared? Of planes?” 

Kai’s gives Sehun a dirty look but Sehun wasn’t intimidated, he was far too excited to have finally been able to read Kai’s expression. “I understood you! Without you explaining, oh wow I am good.” 

“For your information I am not scared of anything, especially riding a stupid airplane. It’s literally a car without wheels. Just the first time riding it, okay?” Kai replies snidely, as the pair listen to the hum of the rotors.

Sehun raises his brows amused, “Airplanes got wheels, they need them to land—“ 

“I don’t care, just leave me alone.” Kai huffs childishly and turns away. He doesn’t like to be scared, and fear was a weakness in his eyes. He could feel his pulse pounding in his temples, so he digs his fingers into his palm; a trick he’d do when he meets new clients, it usually helps him ease his nerves. 

Sehun’s lips curl upwards watching Kai fidget in his seat trying to act nonchalant. He finds it endearing how Kai is afraid of flying but isn’t afraid to have a fistfight. He taps at his screen ready to browse through the entertainment guide. Out of the corner of his eyes, Sehun spots Kai mimicking his actions, so he purposely pIcks something more of Kai’s taste. 

The safety announcement echoes throughout the plane and Kai completely goes rigid, eyes wide and vulnerable. He glances from the window of the plane, the wing engine is semi-illuminated, the lower half shining around the rim and the upper half is several shades darker as the plane begins to move. 

Kai immediately grabs onto Sehun’s hand, interlacing their fingers together tightly. His heart is beating so loud that he can’t hear what Sehun is saying. He doesn’t want to lose control, he doesn’t want to start panicking but the plane makes another rough thrust ready to fly and Kai wants to leave the aircraft. 

“Breathe, just focus on me okay?” Sehun enunciates, inches between their faces, once he sees how unfocused Kai’s orbs are. 

Sehun raises their interlocked hands to Kai’s eye level and repeats his words. “Focus on me, don’t focus on the airplane. I’m not leaving, just breathe.” 

Like a disarrayed wild cat, Kai slams his lips against Sehun’s warm ones, as if his life depended on it. Within seconds both Sehun and Kai lose themselves in the kiss, and Kai boldly deepens it as he grabs with his free hand a fistful of Sehun’s shirt. Sehun’s eyes flutter shut and in the darkness he sees light exploding. 

Kai tasted like sweet hot chocolate on cold rainy nights and bitter coffee-stained cigarettes. 

Sehun tasted like vanilla bean nectar, and breezy spearmint on a cold November afternoon. 

They pull apart and take shaky, shallow breaths. Their pupils are dilated from the exhilaration from the kiss. Their eyes are locked onto each other, too enchanted to move another muscle as the warmth spreads to the very tips of their bodies, from the tip of their ears all the way to the sole of their feet — love was drowning them. And they didn’t fight to swim, they welcomed the strong tides. 

“I—“ Kai begins unsure of how to explain his action but Sehun shakes his head softly, a smile of his reddened lips. 

Sehun shakes their intertwined fingers before looking away to face the television screen. His ears are burning but for once, he doesn’t feel total embarrassment but benevolence. “What do you, uh, wanna watch?” 

Kai tries to suppress his smile, but his eyes betray him. His cheeks are a sun-kissed pink, like a spring rose, spreading throughout his skin. “Whatever you wanna watch, sweets.” 

Meanwhile, beside the artificial couple were Kyungsoo and Chanyeol chatting unobtrusively. 

“Is this the button to call over one of the attendants?” Chanyeol asks, knowing he won’t get an answer from Kyungsoo so he presses it immediately. 

Kyungsoo glances back at Sehun and Kai watching their affectionate touches and shy glimpses. He knows that Sehun lied about his and Kai’s dating duration, because Sehun hasn’t started looking happy for 3 months but instead a fortnight ago.

He knows something is happening between them, there is electricity around them, Kyungsoo isn’t sure what it is, nor does he want to. It’s their business, but what he is certain of is that they have reshaped each other for a lifetime. Whatever is connecting them is of great significance. 

The flight attendant blocks Kyungsoo’s view as he leans back in mild irritation. 

“Yes sir, how can I help you?”  
“Yeah, I want a Pina colada.” 

Both Kyungsoo and the stewardess stare at Chanyeol due to his unusual request. 

“I’m, uh, sorry sir but we don’t serve Pina Coladas.” She explains, her hands tucked behind her back. 

Chanyeol pouts but nods his head in defeat. “Whiskey please.” 

Kyungsoo blinks repeatedly, slightly taken back by Chanyeol. “What? You can’t handle whiskey.” 

Chanyeol looks at Kyungsoo dead in the eye and says, “Precisely.” And turns to the stewardess in determination and finalizes. “Two glasses of whiskey on ice.” 

The flight attendant rushes to make Chanyeol’s order, leaving Kyungsoo gawking at Chanyeol with wide eyes. “I am not sure if I should worry about you or about me being with you right now.” 

Chanyeol places his palms flat over his thighs after he tucks the mini complimentary pillow behind his neck. “I don’t think I’ve been this stressed since last year’s Thanksgiving when I tried to explain why it shouldn’t be a holiday because we’re celebrating genocide and then proceeded to get kicked out of the house.” 

The stewardess comes back with the drinks, she places the first drink on Chanyeol’s open tray and she is about to hand Kyungsoo the other but Chanyeol takes it from her hand with a smile and a small thank you before watching her scurry off. 

“Kyungsoo..” Chanyeol begins as he downs the first whiskey, the ice hitting his teeth and he remembers that he can’t drink alcohol straight and starts to choke trying to finish the remainder. Kyungsoo places his fingers under the cup, holding it upwards to help Chanyeol finish the whiskey with mild disgust on his face. 

“Kyungsoo, I—“ Chanyeol calls out again but hisses at the aftertaste of whiskey burning down his throat. 

“No, we are not doing this.” Kyungsoo crosses his arms over his chest. “Nope, I’m not playing. Stop looking at me like that Yeol. You look like a beady-eyed ferret, you aren’t winning me over.” 

Chanyeol pouts further but Kyungsoo’s face remains stoic, “You don’t even know what I was gonna say!” 

“Yes I do, and I don’t want any part of this heart-to-heart bullshit.” Kyungsoo eyes Chanyeol with vex. 

“No, you don’t know. Maybe I want uh,” Chanyeol’s mouth gapes open and he squints hard at Kyungsoo trying to act nonchalant as he makes up a lie. “Talk about getting a yacht and get all them bitches, the ladies for your information, y’ know what I’m saying? and live on the water and be like a survivor. Like Destiny’s Child song, ‘I’m a survivor’ but with the less literal meaning and more holistic feeling. Oh, that rhymed.” 

“I have so many questions but I really do not want to entertain this fuckery,” Kyungsoo complains throwing his hands up. “And yet, I am and I am already regretting it — how are you a survivor, what the fuck did you survive Yeol?” 

Chanyeol downs the second drink with more ease, but the spluttering and choking was still there but more controlled. He slams the cup on the tray and unbuckles his belt to show Kyungsoo he is serious but it’s having the complete opposite effect.

“I am a survivor of cyber-bullying, not getting laid for 4 months, passing my elective literary criticism class after failing twice, not being banned from the kitchen anymore after my mini quiche disaster, bad haircuts all my life—“

“Yes Chanyeol I got it, thank you very much I regret asking.” Kyungsoo cuts him off sharply, not wanting to engage any further so he nods speedily, pulling out the complimentary earphones as he begins looking for their outlet. 

Chanyeol doesn’t wait for another moment, he needs to release this secret that’s been taunting him ever since everything got out of hand, the moment Baekhyun entered the picture. The word vomit is uncontrollable, and Chanyeol is worried that it isn’t just words. 

“Sehun and Kai aren’t even a real thing, they’re both faking but I think—“ Chanyeol instantly gets cut off by Kyungsoo thumping him on his chest. 

“No, no, no! I am not doing this,” Kyungsoo motions to the space between them in outrage. “I don’t want to do a heart-to-heart, nor do I want to know anybody’s business. I just want to fucking relax on the beach, watch Lay and Suho get married and maybe go wild and fuck a groomsman. No more, I don’t want to be a part of this conspiracy theory!“ 

“It’s not a conspiracy theory! Sehun told me!” Chanyeol shout-whispers, peeking past Kyungsoo to see the fake-couple sharing their earphones while they watch something on Sehun’s screen. 

“Sehunnie’s literally paying Kai for two weeks to pretend to be his boyfriend for this wedding! But Sehun actually got so into his feelings, the guy’s emotional what can I do, and is like high on love—“

“Chanyeol shut the fuck up. I don’t want to hear this.” Kyungsoo gritted his teeth together, he can’t even have a decent holiday without one of his friends ruining it. “I don’t want to hear it Chanyeol! I’m not going to be stuck in an airplane with all you fuckers for 9 hours with that shit on my conscience like that—“ 

“And Kai is like a proper rent-boy, like a male prostitute, and Sehun doesn’t care and still likes him a lot. Then the argument between them happened, and Baekhyun was there and I tried to block it so he doesn’t find out the truth, but instantly I had to lie saying Kai cheated because Baekhyun won’t let it go nor let anyone live it down if he finds out.” Chanyeol spits out speedily, picking out a cube of ice and sucks on it as if to reenergize him after his speech. “My own input? I think Kai has the hots for our Sehunnie too.” 

Kyungsoo’s eyes are closed shut, his fingers interlocked and his mouth is a grim line. 

“Lord, please give me patience, because if you give me the strength I might beat these assholes to death.” Kyungsoo seethes out each word in wrath, and Chanyeol’s eyes widen. 

“Amen! Please don’t give him strength, oh my god.” Chanyeol blurs out, fearing for his life. “Give him a sedative if necessary.” 

“I’m fucking part of it now, aren’t I?” Kyungsoo scoffs, leaning back against his chair defeated. “You couldn’t have left me the fuck alone, could you?” 

Meanwhile, a few seats away are Baekhyun and Jongdae. Baekhyun has been plotting the revenge plan all last night, to the extent of researching the resort they are staying at so he can pick the perfect public place to humiliate and shame Kai about his wrongdoings with Sehun. 

He peeks through the small gap of seats ahead of him, investigating Sehun and Kai who are in front of them. He narrows his eyes even further, like a hawk ready to swoop in and attack his victim. 

Baekhyun lowers the book Jongdae’s been reading away from his face and whispers. “Meet me in the bathroom.” 

Straightaway Baekhyun is up and gone, as Jongdae blinks trying to understand the situation. He gets up, after dog-tailing the page he was reading, and got up and followed Baekhyun. 

As soon as they are squeezed inside the bathroom, Jongdae begins to unbuckle his belt. 

“What are you doing?” Baekhyun’s burrows are furrowed, staring at Jongdae’s crotch in confusion. 

“Why would two adults go into a bathroom in an airplane? I thought it was a moment of hate-fucking.” Jongdae answers flustered, tugging his pants up. 

Baekhyun scoffs unimpressed. “You’re on thin ice right now.” 

“What then? You’ve been so cold to me one minute, then hot the next. I’m not a mind-reader, but I know it has something to do with you finding out that Sehun stayed the night at Kai’s.” 

“Sounds like the words of a traitor.” Baekhyun retorts heatedly, his lips pursed.  
With a loud sigh, Jongdae answers, “I give up.” 

“We need to ruin Kai when we get to Hawaii and make him regret fucking with this group from the start,” Baekhyun explains, his smile stretched across his lips but Jongdae can see it slipping. 

“I was all on board with this plan of yours to not upset you.” Jongdae begins softly, he knows Baekhyun, he sees the purple hues underneath his hooded eyes. “But, you’re turning into a real dictator, a ruthless one too. Why do you want to do this so bad? They’re happy if Kai really did cheat we’ll tell Sehun privately, no need for drama. Sehun doesn’t like to be the centre of attention, you know that.” 

“Oh, I didn’t know this was up for fucking discussion, Probation.” Baekhyun snaps, standing defensively with his chest puffed. “I’m looking out for my friend.” 

“Are you though?” Jongdae asks, his voice low and the silence between them is painful.

Baekhyun doesn’t want to talk anymore, he’s afraid he’ll start to bawl. So, with one last deep breath, he ruffles his hair to keep up his bravado. 

“I’m not leaving first, I need to make a mini runaway walk,” Baekhyun explains dryly, with crossed arms and eyes travelling on anything that isn’t Jongdae. 

With reddened ears, Jongdae blurs out. “I actually need to piss, so…”

Without another word, Baekhyun escapes the cramped bathroom and tries to keep his composure rushing to his seat, he won’t cry, he tells himself. He has shed far too many tears recently, he doesn’t have it in him anymore, it’s exhausting. 

A man on his right on the four-seater row leans towards Baekhyun. “I got to go to the bathroom, but I heard about women on a plane. She got sucked into the toilet. How's the water pressure?” 

Baekhyun looked at his fellow passenger in a mixture of disgust and horror. “ I need you to stop making words come out of your mouth.” 

Baekhyun further exclaims by gesturing with his hand into an opening and closing mime, staring at the man trying to unnerve him. One of the cabin crew members pass them and Baekhyun calls him over. 

“Can I have some Advil and water, thanks.” 

As soon as the flight attendant leaves, Baekhyun sees the guy pretending to be busy with one of the magazines and Baekhyun clicks his tongue satisfied. He tilts his head to the window and staring at the clouds. 

He doesn’t like it when Jongdae is right, and because it is Jongdae it affects him so much more. Baekhyun is furious, but his hurt outweighs that. He understands that not everyone can tolerate him, let alone his agitated persona, he gets it but he feels betrayed. 

With his breakup, the group weren’t invested like he is now, with a revenge plan for the injustice that happened to him. He wished the gang did something to the extent he is doing for Sehun and he cannot fathom as to why they are so against it. After all, love doesn’t always win in the end and he’s learnt that tough way. He’s going to be skipping the many steps of his well-thought plan to last exposé step, to show all of them that he is right and knows best. 

But the ache in his heart is still there, he isn’t sure if it’s leftover nostalgia or permanent damage. 

Yet, that’s the thing, no human is built the same, so why should everyone take the same approach if they all have different morals and principles. It’s unfair he concludes. His bitterness is sucking out all of his energy and he just wants to find some inner peace after the tornado, Jongdae, he let in back into his life — on probation. 

(—————)

“I feel drunk, do I look drunk?” Chanyeol announces loudly to everyone, as they all hop out of the van.

“How many drinks did he have?” Jongdae looks at Kyungsoo as if he’s responsible for the giant.  
“5 glasses of whiskey. He pretended it was for me when I was in the bathroom.” Kyungsoo grumbles. 

Finally arriving at their resort after the lengthy 9-hour airplane ride during the late afternoon. Their suitcases and bags are immediately picked up by the staff, but Kyungsoo reaches over to decline politely but the staff explain hurriedly. 

“The guests of Mr.Yixing Zhang, best quality only.” 

“Who is that?” Baekhyun asks lazily, with his arms stretched above his head. 

“It’s Lay, this is his hotel,” Sehun reveals with a smile watching everyone has different ranges of surprise across their faces. 

“I said it once, and I will say it again. I need him to introduce me to one of his friends, his rich friends, preferably female but if not I’ll suck dick.” Chanyeol raises his palms out with raised brows. “Just throwing it out there.” 

“You need to sleep, come on.” Kyungsoo grabs Chanyeol’s forearm dragging him inside the hotel. 

Everyone follows them in, heading straight to the reception station. 

“It’s huge and really pretty,” Kai admits with wide eyes as he surveys the premise from their beautiful marble flooring to the stained glass and bohemian layout. 

“You know the number one reason people go to hotels?” Baekhyun interjects, eyeing Kai in disdain. “To hook up, with like mistresses and shit.” 

“Why do you know that? Did daddy do that to mummy and now you have a complex?” Kai taunts back.

“Baekhyun! Can we not do this,” Sehun says, pulling Kai closer beside him. Being with Kai these past few days has made Sehun unbelievably happier, and Sehun doesn’t want anything to ruin in. Even if it is Baekhyun. However, his shoulders deflate slightly once he locks eyes with Baekhyun’s intimidating orbs. “Please? Everyone is exhausted from the flight.” 

“And I will beat the shit out of you, no problem,” Kyungsoo adds dryly from where he’s standing by the reception counter, not even bothering to turn around to face the group.

“I wanna karaoke, I wanna sing Destiny’s Child ‘I am a survivor.’ It’s like emotional. And, I’m like, emotional. Ying and Yang. It makes perfect sense.” Chanyeol weaves his fingers together to give everyone the visual display of his words but nobody minds him any attention. “It’s like destiny. Oh my God, it’s a hint from life because they’re called Destiny’s Child? Guys, guys— are you ignoring me?”

Jongdae walks back from the reception and beelines to Baekhyun, definitely ignoring Chanyeol.

“Suho put us together, is that alright?” 

Baekhyun shrugs indifferently. “He probably forgot that we aren’t together anymore, like how he forgot to disinvite you to the wedding.” 

“I am literally a blood relative.” Jongdae whines, throwing his head back in despair. “Blood thicker than water?” 

“I am more kin than you right now, don’t even challenge me on that.” Baekhyun shrugs confidently. “What number is the room?”

“Depends if we want a king-sized bed or two queen-sized beds. What do you prefer?” Jongdae is trying to be respectful, to show Baekhyun he still cares and will give him space. After their bathroom spat, Jongdae needs to stop Baekhyun from going down the dark abyss and make a right of his wrong. 

“Two queen-sized beds.” 

“Two queens sized beds coming right up,” Jongdae repeats with enthusiasm, and he swears he saw Baekhyun fight back a smirk. 

Sehun is by the counter also as Kai stand back alongside Chanyeol and Baekhyun, watching the rest get their arrangements in order. However, what was new to the mixture is a fellow man also by the reception watching Sehun intently. 

Kai’s brows disappear beneath his faded rose curls, and his eyes focus on the man inching forward every few seconds across the reception counter and towards Sehun. 

Baekhyun a keen observer, leans towards Kai his voice barely above a whisper as he adds fuel to the fire. “Looks like someone is going to snatch away Sehun, he doesn’t look bad either.” 

With crossed arms, Kai side-eyes Baekhyun momentarily heated. “He isn’t even Sehun’s type. I ain’t worried.” 

“You haven’t seen Luhan,” Baekhyun smirks in satisfaction at Kai’s silence. 

As soon as the man builds up the courage to fully walk to Sehun, Kai steps in front of him and blocks his view. “You better turn the fuck around, before I dislocate your jaw.”

Sehun turns around startled, only to catch a glimpse of a wide-eyed man walk away in a rushed manner. “D-Did you just scare that man away?” 

Kai doesn’t look at Sehun, instead focuses on the centrepiece by the lobby with his fists hidden in his pockets. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

The smirk on Baekhyun’s face grew like a lazy teacher’s checkmark at what witnessed. Still, under the impression that Kai cheated, Baekhyun found it interesting how possessive Kai was of Sehun’s attention.

“Kai!” Sehun whispers horrified, “You cannot just threaten someone just because you don’t like them.”

With a grunt, he locks his thunderous orbs on Sehun. “Why the fuck are you making such a big deal of it?” 

Sehun flinches at Kai’s intimidating demeanour, but he is going to stand his ground regardless. He isn’t one for violence, and he won’t start supporting the cause just because Kai practices it on a semi-daily basis. 

It dawns to Sehun midway revising his moral conduct codes, and how abrupt Kai’s shift of mood is the only logical conclusion, even if he personally finds it insane. “Are you…jealous?” 

“I’m not jealous at all! The fucker was eyeing you up and down like you’re some piece of meat, and I didn’t like it. So I just told him to fuck off before I dislocate his jaw.” Kai rants immediately, and Sehun is in disbelief that someone would be jealous and worried to lose him. 

He isn’t that special in his mind if anything Sehun thinks he’s like regular Oreos, not even double-stuffed let alone the red velvet flavour. “You threatened someone, Kai. H-He didn’t do anything—“

“Yet! He didn’t do anything yet!” Kai cuts him off sharply, outraged that he’s getting scolded instead of praised. “I did you a favour!” 

Sehun knew they had an audience, definitely now. His lungs burn and blood rushes to his face flushing him red. He wanted the ground to rip open and swallow him whole, but over the course of two weeks, he’s learnt more on how he should perceive himself. Kai taught him that. 

“You did yourself favour,” Sehun argues quietly, still standing his ground, but his knees are wobbly and he doesn’t want to fight. 

Kai scoffs loudly, unimpressed.“I thought you’d be more appreciative. Fine, I’ll let creeps try to flirt with you and you’ll remember me and say I should’ve listened to Kai.” 

“Oh my goodness, you really are jealous,” Sehun mumbles to himself, not understanding why Kai would be jealous because Luhan never bothered to look at Sehun twice when they would go on dates, his eyes were too busy on everyone but Sehun. “You’re… actually jealous. But why?”

“One, I’m not jealous I just don’t like to see you mistreated. Two, you’re…” Kai stares at Sehun’s cinnamon dust eyes and pillowy lips and reminds himself he needs to be nonchalant to not dig himself a deeper hole with his disorderly emotions in regards to Sehun. “Cool.” 

Sehun barks out a laugh and immediately covers his mouth embarrassed that he was loud. He glances around consciously. He was taken off guard by the absurdity of the comment. 

“Of all things, I’m cool? I am literally anything but cool. I’m like lukewarm water that’s been left by the bedside table for 3 hours. Or a mug of forgotten tea, not any tea either. I’m definitely a grey earl tea.” Sehun rambles passionately, fleetingly forgetting the knot in his stomach.

And just like that, Sehun’s genuine sincerity unknown to him extinguished Kai’s burning jealousy. Kai’s fists unclench and his shoulders go lax because of how guileless Sehun is and it reminds him why he needs to cherish Sehun. 

“What type of tea am I?” 

“Oh, easily a peppermint. Without a doubt.” Sehun answers immediately and Kai can’t help but find him endearing. 

“Without a doubt?”

“Without a doubt,” Sehun assures and gets a quick peck on his cheek causing him to fluster up at the sudden affection. 

“For your audience,” Kai lies hurriedly, nodding his head at the rest of the gang who look away immediately pretending to busy themselves. Kai leans towards Sehun, wrapping his hands around Sehun’s waist tugging him closer with his lips ghosting over Sehun’s ear. “I’m sorry, I just got protective, and I’m…working on it.”

Sehun wonders if Kai can feel his strong heart beating with their chests touching. “You can’t threaten people, what if someone called the police on you. You could get a criminal record.”

“I already have one.” Kai leans back trying to lighten the situation but Sehun’s frown deepens. 

“Fine, fine. What do you want me to do, so you’re not upset with me anymore? I’ll do anything for you.” 

Sehun stills at the statement, nobody did anything for Sehun regardless without wanting something out of it. As much as he genuinely likes Kai, he still can’t help but get doubts that Kai is just entertaining him for the money. 

“Come on, I know you probably planned some long itinerary about this island.” Kai nudges Sehun, his arms still trapping Sehun from leaving. “I’ll do all the things in the itinerary, how does that sound?” 

Unable to fight the smile off his face, Sehun nods his head shyly. The doubts vanish from his mind instantly. “Yes, thank you.” 

“Anything for your sweets,” Kai replies softly, pressing himself against Sehun back-hugging him, needing reassurance before pulling away. 

He didn’t realize he could lose Sehun so easily and wishes Baekhyun’s words didn’t trigger him. After Sehun spent the night at his place, and they had their heart-to-heart feeding off each other's energy and being high on euphoria. He did not want it to crash down just because he was self-conscious. 

He glances around for any spectators, but the group already dispersed, but the man is still eyeing Sehun openly and Kai’s needs to prove a point.

“You do realize I wouldn’t do something as silly as ditch you right?” Sehun explains gently. “We’re still together for the wed—“ Sehun gets cut off by Kai crushing their lips together in a hungry kiss. 

Kai’s hand clasped onto Sehun’s lower back greedily pulling him closer until their bodies are touching, and Sehun loses all will to think. But it was cut short, as Kai pulls back his eyes not on Sehun, but on the man staring with an open jaw. 

For these two days, Sehun is his and he is Sehun’s. Nobody is going to get in the way of that. He knows he’s fallen deep for Sehun, and he’s gonna make sure that his tender-hearted Sehun is unavailable and his boyfriend. Real or not. 

“W-What was that for?” Sehun touches his lips, trying to understand what just happened. 

“For people to know you’re mine.” 

With that final statement, Kai pulls Sehun towards the elevator trying to hold himself together and not react to the electricity running through his veins because of Sehun’s soft lips. 

(————)

“I don’t like coconut-y things, so can we go somewhere that has like good food?” Kai whines laying down on their king-sized bed. 

Sehun turns around, laptop his laptop in his hands showing the screen to Kai. “It’s local! Just because they serve some of their food in coconut bowls doesn’t mean it will taste of coconut.” 

“How are you so sure? You’ve never been to the restaurant.” 

“That shouldn’t matter,” Sehun defends with a pout, lowering his laptop back on the dresser table and walks towards Kai basically towering over him. “Plus, you don’t like to eat. That isn’t good.” 

Kai rolls his eyes at the comment. “No, you like to eat too much. I can’t eat a lot because I will lose…y’know. Can we stop talking about food?” 

Sehun does something uncharacteristic of him and wedges himself between Kai’s sprawled legs dangling off the bed. “Why?”

Kai lifts his head up with pursed lips. “When did you get so confident in asking questions that are none of your business?” 

Sehun’s face slips momentarily and Kai feels instant regret. 

“I often didn’t have money to eat, so it became a habit to not eat. But when I started to meet some of my…” Kai sits up, not baring to look at Sehun but at the wall behind him. “They preferred it when I was on the thinner side, more youthful they said. I just don’t like to talk about that stuff when I’m with you.” 

He enjoyed pretending that Sehun was his real boyfriend, and his line of work immediately snaps him back to reality and he hated that. He hated that he’d no matter how hard he tried, he cannot be a normal guy with a normal life. His past will forever haunt him, just like how his childhood has done. 

Sehun bites his bottom lip in internal conflict, on one hand, he’s thankful that Kai keeps opening up to him and trusting him with his life story, but on the other, he couldn’t be more disappointed in himself for not being tactical enough to understand that not everything needs to be said then and there. 

“I’m sorry I pressed on,” Sehun begins softly, his fingers fidgeting. “I should’ve waited until you were ready.” 

Kai doesn’t reply, already uncomfortable with his faults and how he continuously ruins little moments. He wishes he had just lied, it was much easier to say what someone wants to hear but when Sehun is around him he doesn’t feel like there is water drowning his lungs, and it Kai feels like he can breathe again. 

Kai grabs Sehun’s wrist earnestly, and Sehun tries to not focus on how warm Kai’s palm is. 

“I like that you’re confident, but I and food are in a situation-ship I guess,” Kai half-smiles at trying to make light of the topic. “And I’m sorry that I lashed out.” 

“Are we in a situation-ship?” Sehun breathes, unsure if he wants to know the answer directly from the horse’s mouth. 

Kai’s laugh is loud and abrupt, with an undertone of hoary woe. “Unfortunately, yeah I guess.” 

“What do you mean, unfortunately?” Sehun’s tries to not react to the goosebumps that arrive on his skin. 

“I don’t think I’ve apologized to someone as much as I have apologized to you,” Kai replies trying to divert the conversation, not wanting to touch on the taboo question. 

Sehun sighs and crosses his arms. He knows he’s being pushy but Kai has been nothing but a dream and every time he is around the pink-head he feels like he can do anything like he is invincible.

Sehun knows he said that he’d be content with being just friends, and now he’s being greedy by asking for more but Kai has cleared the fog and Sehun’s world has colour again. 

“Don’t ignore the question.” Sehun protests with a pout, but Kai just stares at Sehun too fascinated by how beautiful he appears; from his faint freckles to his bushy brows and honest eyes. 

“How the fuck are you single? You are so gorgeous.” Kai blurs out, and Sehun is startled that he chokes on his own spit trying to formulate an answer. 

“Kai!” Sehun scolds flustered as he rubs his chest from his sudden self-hazard. 

“Sweetheart!” Kai parrots, his smirk evident and Sehun teasingly glares trying to be casual about his nerves. 

“You’re cute when you fluster up,” Kai begins a small chuckle escaping past his lips when Sehun hits him playfully. “But you’re sexy when you’re authoritative—ouch ouch, I take it back!” 

Sehun huffs and sits beside him on the springy bed with cross arms. “Why do you always do this to me?” 

Kai leans back, his arms supporting him with his head tilted to the side as his hair falls over his forehead messily giving him an air of boyishness. “Because—“

The loud ringing of the hotel phone rings, causing them to glance at each other and mutually agree in silence that Sehun should pick up the call. Sehun walks up to the table, clearing his throat and answers it with slight hesitation. 

“Hello?” 

“Strip-club bitches! Meet us in the lobby in 5 minutes!” Baekhyun’s voice shrills through the phone and before Sehun or Kai have a chance to fathom the moment, the line disconnects. 

“Strip club?” Sehun whispers, staring at Kai in horror. 

(—————)

“Welcome to club Tempo!” Baekhyun announces eagerly, leading the group through the hallway of the building.

“Why is he acting like we haven’t been waiting in line for 45 minutes?” Chanyeol shout-whispers to the rest of the group.

“Just act like we haven’t seen the sign or heard him explain to the taxi on the way over about the club,” Jongdae explains quietly. 

Inside the strip club was like dancing on the Northern Lights; beneath the dry-ice smoke swirls an array of pinks, acid greens and sky blues. The music is booming, playing over the large stage in the centre with half a dozen mental poles spread out with women occupying them in their exotic outfits and provocative dancing. 

“I thought we’re going to a gay strip club, not a straight one!” Jongdae shouted over the music, betrayed. 

Baekhyun sharply turns around, his index finger a few inches away from stabbing Jongdae’s eye. “You are one word away from failing probation.” 

Jongdae opens his mouth but slowly closes it at the sight of Baekhyun’s death glare. 

Kyungsoo scans their surroundings in mild fascination. “I back up Jongdae’s question and add my own; why a club and not a bar? I need to get drunk and forget that you people exist.” 

“There’s alcohol here,” Jongdae adds, trying to back up Baekhyun so he’s back in his good graces.

“Let me rephrase, I need cheap alcohol.” 

Baekhyun yanks Chanyeol forward to face the group. “Drunk Chanyeol wanted to go to a club! So, here we are, why do you guys need to ruin my grand surprise?” 

“I said a karaoke club!” Chanyeol defends, raising his hands in the air. “And, I’m not as drunk as before, I’m like tipsy at best. Kyungsoo force-fed me 4 slices of toast and a bottle of water before I napped earlier. I promise no more alcohol for me.” 

“You are no way tipsy.” Jongdae whispers, poking Chanyeol’s arm who defensively pokes back. 

“Chanyeol is the only one who’s straight in this group, so you didn’t choose the majority. Why?” Kyungsoo corners Baekhyun crossing his arms over his chest loosely. 

Kyungsoo knew the strip club had to be part of Baekhyun’s revenge operation but after Chanyeol so graciously forced the information onto Kyungsoo he has no choice but to aid Chanyeol’s sole cause of ‘Protect Sehun and Kai’s Future’. He needed to expose Baekhyun instead of Kai. But theory is one thing, and practical is another. 

Baekhyun’s left brow quirks upwards as he leans towards Kyungsoo with a devious smirk. “Because Chanyeol has much of a right as you guys to have fun. Why else?” 

Kyungsoo side-eyes Chanyeol in disdain, why did he have to be part of this chaos. “You know damn well that Chanyeol doesn’t care about dick or pussy, and if anything he’s the one dragging us to gay spots. So why the fuck are we here again when we could have a nice dinner by the beach with a few mimosas.” 

“Why are you so mad about me trying to create a nice atmosphere for our first night?” Baekhyun hums casually. “I’ll buy the first round if you’re pressed about money.” 

Kyungsoo rolls his eyes and pushes past Baekhyun to follow the host to the corner table. 

“I don’t think I’ve been in a strip joint in a long time.” Kai murmurs to Sehun who’s been quiet, too fascinated by being in a real-life strip club. 

“Are there even gay strip clubs in Hawaii?” Chanyeol mutters to Jongdae, who whips out his phone.

“I’m googling right now.” 

They arrive at their booth with Baekhyun ordering a dozen shots for everyone immediately, not waiting for them to be settled down on the red leather. Kai watches Sehun look around in great fascination and he dares to intertwine their pinky fingers together under the table. 

Kai swings his and Sehun’s interlocked hands, watching Sehun look around engrossed as the group is guided by the host to their table. 

“First time in a strip club?” Kai whispers into Sehun’s ear.

“Yeah,” Sehun answers, his eyes travelling all over the stage.

He looks back at Kai with a shy smile and blushed cheeks. “I’m really out of my zone right now, to tell you the truth. A little embarrassing I know.” 

“You aren’t missing out on much,” Kai reassures him with a boyish smile trying to suppress the memories of him working in a strip club. 

The hostess arrives at the table placing the circular tray filled with shots in blue, in the middle of the table. 

“Get me a dry martini, please.” Kyungsoo flags her before she disappears between the people and the smoke. 

“And a bowl of olives and barbecue wings!” Chanyeol adds, only to get elbowed by Kyungsoo. “What? I need food.” 

“In the movies everyone has cash, I only have my debit card on me, I don’t think I’ve seen an ATM machine on our way over. Is that bad? Am I a bad customer?” Sehun asks in all seriousness, and Kai just wants to kiss him again and again and again. 

“They always have an ATM machine. Either by the bar of in the back.” Kai informs, running his free hand over his hair trying to get it out of his eyes. 

Sehun habitually helps Kai brush it back, before halting at the realization of his action. “I, uh, you need a haircut!” 

Control for Kai came easy, but one touch or one look from Sehun causes Kai to throw all rational thinking out of the window if anything he was silly putty when it came to his Sehun. 

“Oh wow you really seem to be in your element don’t you Kai? I bet you’ve to strip-clubs plenty of times.” Baekhyun butts in, his eyes ready for a dispute as to his takes a shot. 

Kai is ready for war, but Sehun clutches his hand and squeezes. “Don’t.” 

And so Kai doesn’t. He flashes Baekhyun a fake smile. “It seems like you know your way around clubs more than me.” 

Kyungsoo and Chanyeol share a look, the operation is officially in action. Kyungsoo grabs one shot in each hand and downs them hurriedly. He might as well fuel up. 

“Where are Suho and Lay at? They’re too good to hang out with us?” Chanyeol jokes trying to diffuse the situation. 

“Too busy playing tonsil tennis,” Jongdae says, fidgeting in his seat because of how quickly the mood turned sour. 

Something is going to happen, my sixth sense isn’t lying.” Chanyeol shout whispers. 

Baekhyun doesn’t respond if anything his eyes shift to Sehun like a snake finding its prey. 

“You're just going to let him talk to me, your best friend, like that?” 

“Baekhyun,” Jongdae calls out.

“Where the fuck is my dry martini?” Kyungsoo mutters under his breath. 

“I know right? I need my olives.” Chanyeol agrees, only to get a deadpanned stare from Kyungsoo. “What? I get snacky when I’m nervous.” 

Sehun frowns in displeasure. He doesn’t want to cause a scene, especially not in public with Baekhyun. “Can we not fight please?” 

Kai’s pulls his hand away from Sehun’s trying to calm himself. After all, Kai is Sehun’s boyfriend who is good to him. But Baekhyun knows how to push his buttons. 

“Fucking hell Sehun, nobody is fighting.” Baekhyun groans throwing his head back. “Why do you always have to dampen the mood, we can’t even joke anymore.” 

“Baekhyun cut it out, we don’t need your Jongdae complex shit on us right now,” Kyungsoo exclaims, drinking his third shot.

“Hey! I apologized! I’m paying for my dues right now.” 

“If it wasn’t for your pre-midlife crisis, we wouldn’t be at this Cold War right now. So fuck you man, because you literally ruined my full expenses paid Hawaii trip.” Kyungsoo snaps. 

Chanyeol nods his head vigorously backing up Kyungsoo, hisses at Jongdae. “Pre-mid life crisis.” 

“Shut up! You haven’t been laid in 4 months.” Jongdae grumbles, leaning back conqured. 

“You know what you are? A wet fucking blanket. Always two steps back in life, get a grip of yourself Sehun. Not everyone is going to tolerate your behaviour forever.” Baekhyun utters with calculation, knowing fully well that Kai is fuming. 

“Nobody asked for your opinion Baek, so you should shut the hell up.” Kyungsoo comments. 

“I’m sorry if I made you feel that way Baek,” Sehun begins calmly, a hand on Kai’s thigh trying to mediate him from lashing out. “I just, y’ know, don’t really appreciate the way you…joke around sometimes. Especially with Kai.” 

Baekhyun leans back, one arm resting around the booth. “And, you know what I don’t appreciate? The way you make us all feel like we have to babysit you and fucking coddle you all the time, so you don’t have an anxiety attack every 5 minutes. I don’t even know what Luhan saw in you, the man was way out of your league and somehow you still dated. Same shit with Kai right now,” Baekhyun scans Kai up and down before shifting his gaze back to Sehun. 

“Only difference is you caught Kai cheating on you, and still you’re by his side like some lost puppy. So like I said, a wet fucking blanket.” 

“Baekhyun stop it.” Chanyeol expresses, trying to stop his fidgeting hands. 

Kyungsoo adds on, “The only person that we babysit is you’re messy self Baekhyun.” 

“Cheating?” Sehun echoes confused, looking around for clues from his friends.

Kai leaps across the table, yanking Baekhyun by his collar as he shrugs off Sehun’s desperate hands. “Kai please no!” 

“And do you know what I don’t fucking appreciate? The way you’re talking to my boyfriend right now. Because if you don’t apologize right this second, I will break every bone in your body, limb by fucking limb, you manipulative fraud.” 

Chanyeol and Sehun are trying to pull them apart, but Kai has an iron grip on Baekhyun. 

“Fraud?” Baekhyun laughs, pleased that Kai bit the bait. “Why? Because I call it like how I see it? I don’t sugar coat like everyone else—“

“No, because you’re literally using your bitchy attitude as a free pass to do and say whatever you please, acting as if you know Sehun and what he goes through instead of being supportive and there for him. You’ve been nothing but horrible to him, because what? Jongdae and he are blood-related? Fucking fraud!” 

“At least I’m being real about it! I got fucked over and I dealt with my shit, but Sehun can’t handle some tough love? Why Kai? So he doesn’t leave you because you fucked someone that isn’t him?” Baekhyun sees the hurt flash across Kai’s face and he grins menacingly.

“So he doesn’t realize he should stop being with assholes who don’t cherish him for their benefit? Sehun doesn’t have it in him to stand up for himself, so I, as his friend will do it for him. You are undeserving of Sehun’s time and energy, bitch. Nothing but a man whore.” 

Although Baekhyun has the wrong details, he’s hit serval cords with Kai. Kai’s grip loosens and he doesn’t have it in him to defend himself anymore, he can’t lie anymore. He and Sehun are closer than before but they still tread lightly around his issues, so they don’t discuss the hurt nor the past in an unfiltered manner without Kai controlling the direction and how much he is exposing. Kai knows he romanizes plenty of his good and bad because if he doesn’t he might be dead by now. 

“What’s the matter? Did I hit a nerve?” Baekhyun mocks readjusting his crumpled collar. 

Kai doesn’t answer, he’s far too deep into his head to merge from the drowning thoughts. So, he does the only thing he can. He walks away. He walks and walks not once looking back or up, his shoulders sagged in absolute defeat. 

Kyungsoo shakes his head in disgust. “That was harsh and uncalled for.” 

“I did what none of you could, so,” Baekhyun takes a shot, before looking at everyone briefly. “You’re welcome.” 

“You are so far up in your own world Baek, you don’t realize that not everybody wants, let alone needs your help.” Chanyeol scoffs his mood ruined. 

Baekhyun shrugs feeling victorious. “As I said, he’s a cheating fucker and nobody had the balls to stand up to seeing—“ 

“How fucking dare you!” Sehun spat, his eyes thunderous as he stands to silence everyone. “How fucking dare assume you have the dictatorship over me, my relationships and life. Who the fuck do you think you are?” 

“I-“ Baekhyun tries to speak but Sehun for once, is louder and more powerful. 

“You don’t know anything! Nothing about Kai! Not a single fucking thing, unlike me!” Sehun shouts with his hands fisted by his sides. “I paid him to be my fake boyfriend for this wedding, so I don’t get set up by Suho or mocked by all of you for not having a guy. I don’t know where you would think he’d cheat on me because for one we were never officially together as much as I wanted us to be, and two, Kai is a-a rent boy! He sells his body and lives in a dingy, little motel room and barely eats so he saves up to pay the rent and not lose his customer base!” 

“He’s a male prostitute?” Jongdae whispers in disbelief, getting elbowed by Chanyeol.

“I didn’t know at the beginning and fell for his charms and once I did know, I didn’t care! Kai has made me feel like I was deserving of life, of breath; he made me want to go out and try to enjoy life! Luhan has put me down so many times, that I believed I’d never see myself at the top.” Sehun’s heart is hurting, his visioned blurred with tears. “

“With Kai, he….made me see myself, my worth. He’d do nothing but push me to thrive and be better. Kai helped put me on the path of self-love and care.” Sehun’s voice and words are demanding to be felt and heard as it hits everyone like bullets to the heart. 

“What makes you so certain he isn’t doing all of that because of the money?” Baekhyun blurs out. 

Sehun thinks back to the time where he met Kai in the convenience store and how stunning his grin was. 

Sehun thinks back to the time in the market, where Kai brought Sehun some rice balls because he saw him eyeball them and proceeded to eat with him to please Sehun and get a ‘good job’ stamp. 

“Because he’s seen me and I’ve seen him. Because I love him, and even though that is scary for me to say out loud. Because he makes me laugh so much with his wittiness. Because he defends me regardless of the outcome. Because he pretends to hate my soap operas but watches them secretly so we can bond. Because he taught me how to love myself again. Because he didn’t try to change me, not once, not one little thing at all — he accepted me, all of me. Unconditionally, he opened his arms for my flaws and still cared, still smiled, still shared and still stayed by my side. “ 

Nobody uttered to say a word, it was deafening silence among the 5 friends ignoring the roaring club music as white noise. Sehun stares down at all of them with non-quavering courage, his shoulders back and head up. 

This is for Kai; for all that Kai’s done for Sehun, this little dosage of unwavering support is for Kai and Kai solely whatever the outcome of tonight. 

“And for your information, Kai did smoke in the apartment and put it out in the water bottle and he got me a cat that I’ve been hiding ever since, called Mr General Kitten McMittens,” Sehun focuses on Kyungsoo who’s trying to not nod knowingly, then turns to Baekhyun’s gobsmacked expression. 

“And nobody asked for your motherfucking, dumbass, reprehensible, intolerable, goblin shit of opinion, let alone your validation. You miserable cunt.” 

With that final statement, Sehun turned on the back of his heel and walks out leaving the shook group to look for Kai, with a satisfied smirk on his face. 

“Miserable sounds accurate,” Kyungsoo utters grabbing the last two shots, handing one to Chanyeol as they drink it. 

Baekhyun glares at them heatedly. “Why? Because I tried to defend and protect my friend from assholes like Kai?” 

“Just drop it, Kai isn’t an asshole he didn’t cheat or do any of that other stuff.” Chanyeol groans, throwing himself back on the booth drunk and exhausted by this dead-end of a conversation. “Why do you keep trying to add your own baggage and problems on their people’s back. That ain’t cool. Just stop it.”

“I’m the asshole, and I genuinely am sorry.” Jongdae’s voice is filled with anguish, finally speaking. “I’m so sorry I ruined you Baekhyun. I really am.” 

Baekhyun doesn’t have it in him to look at his ex-lover, so he stares ahead trying to remain stoic. “You’re on thin ice, Probation.” 

“I didn’t understand why you wanted to avenge Sehun’s relationship but it makes so much sense now—“ 

“Jongdae you better shut your mouth right now.” 

“I made our friends chose between me and you after I broke us up. You hated that they didn’t do anything for you. Nothing elaborate or extreme like I don’t know, egg my car?” Jongdae exclaims leaning in, elbows resting on his knees. 

Baekhyun’s orbs are wet, and he cannot show weakness. Especially, with Jongdae triggering his emotions so easily. “Stop speaking Jongdae.”

“I didn’t give you the chance to mourn our relationship, right? Because I was always popping up in your life since we shared plenty of our friends and life. I was always there, and I didn’t let you drown out your pain, I drowned you in it.” 

Baekhyun swerves his head so sharply at Jongdae, that Chanyeol legitimately flinched thinking he snapped his head. “Fuck you Jongdae. Just fuck you.” 

Kyungsoo sits up, eyes shifting between the ex-lovers with suspicion. “Is he right? Is he telling the truth, Baek?” 

“What do you fucking think?” Baekhyun scoffs, turning his head to the dance floor so nobody can clock his teary eyes. 

“OH MY GOD! MY SIXTH SENSE WORKS!” Chanyeol screams in delight, with his arms spread open slowly standing up as if he’s some famous hero.

“I don’t want to talk about it unless I’m not able to walk straight type of drunk,” Baekhyun states with hostility like a wild cat. 

Kyungsoo stands up alongside Chanyeol with his hands on his hips, looking at both Jongdae and Baekhyun, trying to not smack Chanyeol since he’s doing a small 360 circulation thinking he’s some type of wizard. 

“This is what is going to happen! We are going to leave the club before the hostess catches us because they are far too expensive and I am not paying for some watered-down vodka, and we are going to go look for Kai and Sehun. Then you,” Kyungsoo nods at Baekhyun. “Are going to apologize, and then we are going to get drunk on much cheaper alcohol and go karaoke-ing and have a fucking good night. Alright?” 

“YES!” Chanyeol shouts thrilled at the prospect of ending this battle. 

“Fuck you man..” Baekhyun feels like the flame in him gave out, and Kyungsoo does nothing but nod at him in mutual understanding. 

“Yeah,” Jongdae mumbles nodding his head gratefully and stands up alongside the rest. 

Kyungsoo spots the hostess walk her way towards them with their different orders, and he jumps into action immediately. “Let’s go, follow my lead.” 

(—————)

Surprisingly it didn’t take the group to find Sehun and Kai, with their relentless force of searching high and low for the pair, is what Chanyeol would have liked to believe. However, the truth is that it wasn’t difficult to describe Kai with his pink hair, with Sehun’s lanky frame accompanying him. Plus there were only a few nearby bars. 

After two bars, they found the fake-couple inside a tropic bar called Ko Ko Bop. Sehun and Kai were sitting in the middle of the bar by the bamboo tables, near the middle of the small stage that had some indie band playing. 

“You can’t hide from us!” Drunk Chanyeol utters loudly, startling the young pair as they watch the giant trying to squeeze himself through the tight and crowded table space. “We’re like Sherlock and Watson, just one set more problematic than the other.” 

Kyungsoo rolls his eyes, totally over this whole night. He would have preferred a less ambush-like attack on Kai and Sehun. 

“What are you doing here?” Sehun asks defensively, eyeing Baekhyun specifically while Kai doesn’t bother to look at the group. “And how did you find us?” 

“Kyungsoo and I are the less problematic ones, just for reference,” Chanyeol shout whispers, grabbing a spare chair from the neighbouring table beside them. 

“Your fake boyfriend’s hair is a dead give-away, not a lot of people have pink hair here.” Kyungsoo answers dryly, over his friend group’s messiness.”I’m going to get drunk because I don’t think I can handle any of you tipsy, let alone sober.” 

“We want to apologize,” Jongdae declares about the elephant in the room, and Sehun glances between Baekhyun and Jongdae. “I am sorry for my behaviour and how it caused bad consequences and I promise I’ll work better on them and work more.” 

“Wait is this karaoke night at the bar?” Chanyeol gapes as the indie band hops off, and the follow-along lyrical program zaps on the small screen on the stage. “This is fate and coincidence bumping into each other, oh my god.” 

“Yeah, so after your little ‘cool guy’ moment, I may have understood that I have no business in anybody’s affairs and I might have jumped to some unfavourable conclusions which caused me to be to some people a miserable cunt….” Baekhyun mumbles, unable to hold eye contact properly. 

Sehun scans his close friend and he sees honestly radiating off him, so with one last squint, he nods in approval. This is the closest he’s going to get to an apology with Baekhyun. 

“You disrespected Kai too,” Sehun utters confidently, trying to not smile victoriously at the surprise flashing across their features. 

Kai peeks at Sehun and can’t help but feel an overpowering of adoration rush through his bloodstream at how much of a backbone Sehun is to him. After he left, he stood outside of the club unsure of what to do or where to go, but Sehun emerged out of the building like a guardian angel, snatching his arm and pulling him away. Sehun found the small bar and began to explain what happened after Kai’s departure and then proceeded to try to make Kai feel better. 

“I suck at apologies, so un-fuck you or whatever,” Baekhyun mumbles popping down across from them, after pulling a spare chair. 

Kai sticks his arm out to Baekhyun who stares at it cautiously. “Truce?”

“Truce.” Baekhyun clasps their palms together with an affirmative nod. 

Chanyeol grins ecstatically at the group reuniting into one dysfunctional form again, and he loved it. Wrapping his arm around Jongdae and Sehun, his grin widens further. “The family is back in town!” 

“That isn’t how the saying goes, Yeol.” Baekhyun scoffs unimpressed, but a small smile is peeking and Chanyeol smirks that Baekhyun is slowly lowering his walls. “And you.” 

“Me?” Jongdae repeats, pointing at himself. 

“Yes, I am going through a lot of personal shit, so I would appreciate if you gave me some space to work them out before we can go on any further.” 

Jongdae tries to hold his expression to a neutral one, but his eyes deceive him. “Of course, whatever is best for you. I’ll wait for you.” 

“Good…friend.” 

“I’m off probation?” Jongdae breathes, eyes wide and smile wider. 

“Good behaviour paid off I guess.” Baekhyun smiles small, but it’s enough for Jongdae to jump and do a little victory dance not caring for the people around him. 

Before anyone can say or do another thing, Kyungsoo slams a try full of mixed concoctions in the centre of the small table almost spilling Kai and Sehun’s drinks. “I told him I wanted the good shit that gets you fucked up fast. So drink up.”

“This doesn’t look like it’s been approved by the FDA.” Kai raises one of the green-hued drinks. 

The Destiny’s Child song, ‘I’m a survivor’ plays on the karaoke and Chanyeol almost has a heart attack. “This. Is. My. Songgggg! Get up all of you, let’s go!” 

Chanyeol topples over his own feet twice before landing on the small stage in one piece barely, yanking the microphone from the stand. This was his moment to shine, and as he begins to sing the first line beautifully out of tune the gang couldn’t help but feel bliss at the sight. 

“I may have tipped the bartender to put it on, for Chanyeol,” Kyungsoo admits casually handing out to everyone a drink. “You heard our Beyoncé, let’s go.” 

They all down the different mixed drinks and hop on the stage, feeling the buzz of the night. Everyone’s veils have dropped, exposing their flaws and ugliness and it was all accepted. The process may have not been easy or quick, but they all got there eventually. On that stage, all six men became bonded for something pure and honest, that will stay in their hearts for a very long time. They’re bonded for life, and for once nobody is alone; not on that stage or on their mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ♡𝐈'𝐦 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬, 𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤♡  
> ♡𝐈'𝐦 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬, 𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤♡  
> ♡𝐈'𝐦 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬, 𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤♡
> 
> PSA:  
> This story is almost over ☹ so I wanted to ask you guys, my advocate readers, if there was a p̲a̲r̲t̲i̲c̲u̲l̲a̲r̲ ̲s̲h̲i̲p̲ ̲o̲r̲ ̲s̲t̲o̲r̲y̲l̲i̲n̲e̲ you want me to 𝚠𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚎. (And hopefully, I will put it into my 'prompts to write list' if it is doable (̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶I̶ ̶l̶i̶k̶e̶ ̶i̶t̶)̶, and write it and dedicate it to you at some point??) ❤
> 
> If you guys ever wanna contact me or anything this is my twitter lovelies: @GlazedDounut72 However I rarely talk on there lmfao, just retweet and like gifs/vids of the boys :)


	18. Day 1: The Itinerary.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank you all for being so patient and kind! I had many different scenarios and until the ending scene I changed so many things, so I hope it's good :) 
> 
> Enjoy the 9K chapter, y'all deserve it :) 
> 
> ♡𝐈'𝐦 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬, 𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤♡  
> ♡𝐈'𝐦 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬, 𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤♡  
> ♡𝐈'𝐦 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬, 𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤♡
> 
> I HAVEN'T PROOFREAD THIS! (or my other chapters yet, tbh I don't have time) SO EXCUSE ANY SILLY MISTAKES!

After last night’s shenanigans and truces, the group had decided before they all depart to their paired rooms to meet for breakfast in the dining hall first thing in the morning. The first comers are Baekhyun and Jongdae both in their pyjamas, but Baekhyun has the additional accessories of an oversized floppy beach hat and a pair of sunglasses. 

“Is it really necessary for all of this getup?” Jongdae gestures at Baekhyun’s concealed face while munching on buttered toast. “I mean, nobody knows you on this island, well, after last night’s karaoke we could be famous locally.” 

Baekhyun stabs his cut-up cantaloupe from their shared fruit bowl, as he lowers his sunglasses momentarily to focus on Jongdae. “Exactly. I have never been so off-tune in my life, I cannot be famous for being tone-deaf.” 

Jongdae can’t help but grin because he missed Baekhyun and their time together, and last night was very eventful and yet here they were. Jongdae yearned for everything to go back the way it was, but with his careless actions he messed it up. Thus, he’ll keep his end of the bargain as being friends and not pushing the line with Baekhyun and Baekhyun’s life, until Baekhyun was ready to take the first steps — if he wanted. 

“I think you’d be famous for other things,” Jongdae says teasingly, tilting his head and adds as an after-thought. “Well, infamous.” 

“Piss off.” Baekhyun rolls his eyes before pushing his sunglasses back up. “My head is banging, but like I feel calm, not like on guard? Does that make sense? why am I even saying this to you? Whatever, like I was saying—“

“Because you feel more comfortable around me? Regardless of our current circumstance?” Jongdae raises his brows, trying to not be hopeful because he knows he doesn’t deserve it. 

“Or because I don’t care about your opinion any longer dumbass?” Baekhyun retorts with a mouthful of watermelon. He gives Jongdae the middle finger, but Jongdae sees the small smile Baekhyun is trying to hide. 

“As long as you aren’t suppressing your real feelings anymore am more than happy to be like a wall that won’t reply unless you want my opinion on it.” 

“Are you trying to flirt with me by comparing yourself to a wall?” 

A beat of silence goes by before the pair lock eyes and start to laugh. It’s ridiculous really, one minute they were like ice and fire, something that shouldn’t be mixed but the next they were vibing off each other’s energy as if they never broke up. The love is still there, somewhere in-between all of the ugly and hurt, the love is shining through all of it. 

“Sorry,” Jongdae says softly, after their morning hysteria of laughter. And Baekhyun knows it’s more than what just happened, so he leans back readjusting his floppy hat and nods once in forgiveness. 

Opening his mouth to speak Baekhyun, nothing comes out. Jongdae furrows his brows in confusion, and that is when he realized Baekhyun isn’t looking at him but behind him. So with a swift motion, he turns around to see what make Byun Baekhyun go speechless, and lo and behold there were Kyungsoo and Chanyeol walking towards them with light steps. 

Chanyeol is dressed in the hotel rob that is short on his tall frame, barely covering his knees and short sleeves, meanwhile, Kyungsoo is dressed in an appropriate lounge attire nothing out of the ordinary apart from the fact that they both look flushed. 

“Why does Chanyeol not look so terrible and not still tipsy at best, after last night?” Baekhyun raises his floppy hat away from his face to really look at the pair sitting down. “If anything he looks—“ 

“Well-fucked.” Jongdae finishes. 

Kyungsoo doesn’t reply, but his reddened ears and cheeks answer. He might have gotten a little too drunk last night and helped Chanyeol experiment with being with guys after Chanyeol’s persistent advances and too touchy hands wondering. It was Chanyeol’s lips over his that sealed the deal for the night and Kyungsoo can admit that he has not had such a good lay in a very long time because they had sex 3 times in less than 24 hours — bed, table, bathroom. 

Baekhyun lets out a dramatic gasp, taking off his sunglasses and putting them on the table revealing his red-rimmed eyes from his hangover, but they were filled with mirth. He starts to crackle at the thought of Kyungsoo and Chanyeol together. They couldn’t be more different. 

“You two fucked?” Baekhyun laughs in disbelief crossing his arms with a devious grin. “Oh my god, who topped and who fucking bottomed?” 

“That is the first thing you’d like to know?” Kyungsoo scoffs, pulling Jongdae’s plate towards him as he eats a cube of kiwi. “It is none of your busine—“ 

“Aren’t you supposed to switch?” Chanyeol answers innocently, and that causes Jongdae and Baekhyun to laugh harder. 

Kyungsoo reaches over to Chanyeol and pinches his arm. “What happened to the 15-minute conversation about not telling them anything?” 

“Well, I didn’t tell them anything! You specifically said don’t talk about us fucking but they figured it out not me—“ 

“Are you kidding me, Yeollie?” 

“Is this your first lover’s spat?” Baekhyun teases, shaking his shoulders in a small dance. 

Kyungsoo gets up abruptly and Baekhyun raises his arms against his face as a shield ready to be hit, but the hit never came. 

“I am not going to sit here and entertain this bullshit,” Kyungsoo gestures at the table with glaring eyes that landed on Chanyeol specifically. “You better keep your mouth shut, or else.” 

“Or else what? Are you gonna fuck him up? Fuck him over? Under?” Jongdae mocked with a sly grin that has Baekhyun guffawing. 

Kyungsoo flips them off with his middle finger and walks away to the breakfast buffet trying to not think of what Chanyeol might expose. He just wanted to be laid, fed and relaxed in Hawaii but his friends are making it impossible. 

“What does a guy need to do to get some peace and quiet? Have a devil with the devil?” Kyungsoo mutters, layering extra mini-waffles on a second plate for Chanyeol. “He probably doesn’t want them either, I don’t blame the guy.” 

He glances back at the table as Baekhyun and Jongdae hound Chanyeol like a pack of hyenas with questions. A smile slips out when he thinks back to this morning when Chanyeol made him coffee in bed from the free coffee packets by the kettle, he’s never had coffee served to him in bed. It was nice, even if Chanyeol forgot the cream and sugar and spilt some of it on the bedding. 

Back at the table, Chanyeol is trying to not answer any questions for the sake of Kyungsoo and the 15-minute lecture that consisted of mere threats of what would happen to him if he exposes their thing. 

“Why are you two so concerned with me and Kyungsoo, when only just yesterday you guys nearly fell out again?” Chanyeol blurs out trying to get the heat off his back. 

Baekhyun and Jongdae don’t seem affected by the comment if anything it passes over their heads, and it makes Chanyeol want to bang his head on the table. “You two are like so intertwined with each other, it is infuriating. Like it doesn’t matter what anyone says about you as long as you 

“You two are so like intertwined with each other, that nobody but each other ruin you.” Chanyeol interlocks his fingers as a visual aid to help them understand. 

“Did Kyungsoo ruin you last night?” Baekhyun smirks, high-giving Jongdae at their silliness. 

Chanyeol leans back defeated, as he readjusts the small bathroom over his chest and crosses his arms. “I bet I wouldn’t be getting this treatment if I had sex with someone else!” 

“Of course you wouldn’t it’s Kyungsoo!” Jongdae utters, taking a gulp of milked down tea. 

“What about Kyungsoo?” 

All three turn their heads to the owner of the voice, only to see Sehun and Kai. Both of them were dressed in day wear, and Kai has never looked better in colour with Sehun’s white swimming trunks and striped button-up that has the first two buttons undone and seems airy. While Sehun is in navy shorts and a white tee with his sunglasses hanging around his neck. 

“Have you guys purposely tried to match each other? Couple matching?” Jongdae curiously asks.

Baekhyun squints his eyes at the pair, as they sat down. “You two also don’t look drunk or tired, does that mean you guys fucked as well—“

“Not everyone drinks until they can’t see straight like you,” Chanyeol says snidely, trying to get back at Baekhyun for getting Kyungsoo mad at him. 

“We didn’t fuck,” Kai answers lazily, trying to not smirk at the blush forming in Sehun’s cheeks. “We fell asleep watching some reruns of Storage Wars.” 

“Yeah, well, guess who scored last night?” Baekhyun said in amusement, while Chanyeol groans.

Baekhyun opens his mouth to speak but Kyungsoo smacks him against the back of his head with an unimpressed gaze, placing his and Chanyeol’s plates on the table. 

“Yes! Me and Chanyeol fucked okay? I needed a fuck and Chanyeol needed a fuck, so we fucked. Now everybody knows, can we all eat some breakfast and not talk about me and Chanyeol fucking?” Kyungsoo snaps, biting his sausage in an aggressive manner. 

Sehun’s eyes double and look at Chanyeol for confirmation, and Chanyeol can do nothing but shrug his shoulders in defeat.

“Did you bite Chanyeol’s dick like that?” 

Kyungsoo snaps his head to Baekhyun so feverishly quick, that he resembled a dangerous owl. “Test me. Say one more thing.” 

Sehun turns to Kai. “Wanna help me grab some food?” 

Kai looks up and gets up without saying a word, his heart feels full. Content. 

“Don’t fuck beside the scrambled eggs, it’s unsanitary.” Jongdae jokes, but neither Kai or Sehun seem to hear him, too engrossed in their own world. 

Kai presses himself against Sehun in an act of instinctive comfort, letting Sehun take the lead. “Are you going to get pancakes?” 

Sehun’s lips stretch into a small smile, glancing back at Kai before nodding his head. “Do you wanna share?” 

Kai hums in content, watching Sehun stack 3 plain pancakes before drizzling syrup over them. They move on from one food group to the next in one fluid motion as if they’re one body. Kai hasn’t felt this calm in such a long time, he doesn’t need to put his guard up with Sehun beside him making him feel safe. 

“Put some real natural sugar instead of that industrial shit,” Kai murmurs stretching his plate out towards the fruit section, as Sehun rolls his eyes playfully but obeys. “For balance…”

Sehun keeps peeking back at Kai whose sole focus is the strawberries Sehun is adding to the plate. After last night Sehun was surprised to find his courage unwavering, he thought maybe the alcohol gave him that extra push but when the morning came, Sehun still felt it in his blood pumping. 

“So…” Sehun trails off unsure of how to begin, his eyes on anything but Kai. “Do you maybe want to go anywhere today? Like any particular, um, place?” 

Kai takes a step back with a bewildered smile. “Are you asking me out?” 

Sehun can feel the heat travel steadily up his neck and he shakes his head immediately. “Shut up! No, I’m not!” 

“You have an itinerary, don’t you?” Kai accuses trying to hold back his laugh and pokes Sehun’s chest. 

Sehun had pulled out from his pocket a neatly folded piece of paper but freezes at Kai’s words. He immediately shoves it into his pocket and plastering on a fake smile. “W-What? What do you think I am? That much of a loser?” 

Kai’s smile fades at the sight of Sehun’s sudden demeanour change. “Hey what are you hiding?” 

“Nothing.” Sehun shakes his head and takes a step back, a full plate in his hand. 

“Oh okay,” Kai hums pretending to look at the food and Sehun mimics him and that is when Kai strikes. He places his plate on the side and yanks the slip of paper out of Sehun’s back pocket. “So you do have an itinerary!” 

Sehun turns around hurriedly clearly startled. “That’s—why would you take it?”

“Why are you hiding it?” Kai answers back, and analyses the printed out sheet of paper. It is difficult for him to read, but he knows his numbers at the very least. “10? You want to do 10 things today? That’s doable.” 

Sehun drew his brows together. “You don’t think it’s too much? You want to do my itinerary?” 

Kai nods as if it is the most obvious thing, handing over the paper. “So what exactly do you want us to start with?” 

Sehun stares at Kai. He just really takes him in; the errant rosé curls, uneven dimples, the honey-pot eyes, the lazy smile and the faint freckles scattered around his cheeks and nose like fairy-dust.  
Sehun wishes they met earlier, maybe then he wouldn’t have been with his terrible ex and would have realized life is much softer and sweeter when you have a supportive pillar by your side. 

“You have a lot of freckles,” Sehun said affectionately. 

“You can count them if you’d like,” Kai smiles tilting his head to the left like a pup. 

Sehun turns his head to the left to avoid Kai’s intense gaze, he needs to control himself or he might do something ridiculous like kissing him. “Walk.” 

Kai blinks at Sehun waiting for a further explanation knowing it sometimes takes Sehun a little longer to form his thoughts and he’s okay with waiting. So he dutifully follows Sehun back to the boisterous table. 

Just before the pair set their plates on the table Sehun turns to face Kai in determination. “Walk. The first thing on the itinerary is to go for a walk.” 

“Then walk it is,” Kai affirms popping a strawberry into his mouth. 

Sehun knows he shouldn’t be surprised, especially when Kai has proved to him time and time again that he is just a sweetheart, under his bravado. He knows change doesn’t happen overnight, and Sehun is on a long journey to self-love and recognition that he didn’t even know was possible until Kai came into his life and flipped it upside down. Shaken every single rule of Sehun’s to be invisible and forcefully made him realize that he deserves to live and enjoy and experience not just watch and hear. 

“Chanyeol,” Baekhyun begins, gets a glare from Kyungsoo but it doesn’t affect him. “Did you spit or swallow?” 

“You little shit, I’m going to strangle you!” Kyungsoo shout whispers his hands already on Baekhyun’s shirt. 

(—————)

Kai squints at the bright sun in discomfort, he should have known walking didn’t simply mean walking with Sehun. They have ditches the group after breakfast swiftly to have some actual productive time and complete Sehun’s itinerary, instead of drinking virgin-marys by the hotel pool trying to cure their hangover. 

‘I didn’t expect that we’d be hiking and being potential coyote bate sweets.” Kai groaned taking an exaggerated deep breathe as they walk. 

“It’s a 15, well, 10-minute walk now from the hotel to the heart of the town,” Sehun explains in excitement, showing Kai pictures. “Look! We’ll eat all of the local food.” 

Kai swipes between the pictures. “We just ate, how are you still hungry?” 

“Since this is an island and today is a day off, our goal is to just eat and enjoy the day.” Sehun throws his hands in the air with a grin. 

Kai can’t help but smile at the happiness Sehun is radiating. “Okay then, give me the break down of your itinerary sweets.” 

“Well, I may or may not have them in perfect order for a-just-in-case-scenario.” Sehun clears his throat, pulling out the folded piece of paper. 

Kai replies with raised brows, “I’m surprised you haven’t alphabetically.”

“Oh I was but chronologically seemed more important for time’s sake.” 

“Of course,” Kai said teasingly, watching Sehun straighten out his itinerary. “Come on, tell me.” 

“Well, we’re currently walking in the beautiful nature, so we can cross off number 1,” Sehun pulls out a red pen from his back pocket and Kai wasn’t fazed by it at all. “We need to try the following, Kona coffee, go to the street market, eat shaved ice and malasada which are doughnuts, get two garlic shrimp boxes to-go for us to eat at the beach which is number 7, and have a picnic and that’s 8. Then swim and watch the sunset, 9 and 10.” 

“That’s a lot of food sweets.” Kai hums shoving his hands in his back pockets. “I’ll eat the doughnut thingy if we share one.” 

Satisfied with Kai’s negotiation he nods swiftly, refolding the itinerary. He can see the small buildings and hear the local music from where they were standing and Sehun is excited, feeling the tingles in his fingertips. They’ll make great memories together and it’s been such a fun time for them to reminisce over and that’s when it hits Sehun. 

“What will you do with the money?” Sehun tries to sound indifferent but his tummy is tightening. “I mean, tomorrow is the last day and all.” 

Sehun remembers their talk at the diner and how they’ll be friends after this deal, but Sehun still has his doubts because Kai has doubts. He understands Kai, but he knows it is selfish if he tried to persuade him any further, he might even convince to disappear if he insisted. 

“The money?” Kai turns to face Sehun his shoulders sagged. “I’ll probably just pay my late rent at the motel, half of the money should cover me for like the next 3 months of rent, while I sort out my personal shit…” 

“A-And the rest?” 

“Add it to my nonexistent savings, then I’ll only need a few hundred left to pay for a train ticket to the furthest city and a place to stay, so I can start over again.” 

Kai’s face is solemn and Sehun wished he’d say it’s a joke now but Kai doesn’t crack a smirk. 

“You’ll leave? Why?” Sehun stops walking and stares at Kai’s nape. ”I thought we’ll stay friends and you got people here, people you know and care about you. Like me, and the gang, a-and Minseok. I’ll help you out with a proper job and a proper place to live.“ 

Kai is a few steps ahead of Sehun with his back turned, he glances at Sehun not revealing his expression. “I’m like a bird I need to move around to survive, I can’t stay in one place for too long. It’s just…not ideal.” 

Sehun’s brows are furrowed together and he takes a step forward with a mixture of betrayal and hesitance. Kai was being unfair and he needs to know why. “You’re not telling the truth, you’re biting your bottom lip.” 

Kai scoffs agitated and turns around to face Sehun, his eyes thunderous. “You want the honest truth?” 

“Yes!” Sehun huffed. “Kai you’re leaving your entire life behind with the stupid reason of you needing to move around so you’re not bored!” 

You’re the stupid reason, Kai wanted to scream but he kept mute. 

“Kai I can help you out, if you’re too prideful to say—“ Sehun gets cut off by Kai sharply. 

“I don’t think your friendship is going to be enough to hold me down here, I’d go crazy.” 

It was true, Kai wanted more with Sehun. If he was just friends with Sehun he’d only torture himself further. He’d never be Sehun’s and Sehun would never be his, it was just realistic after all. They are opposites. There are too many hurdles for them to survive as it is, let alone take a step further. 

Sehun opens his mouth but Kai beats him to it wanting to stop the subject from going deeper. 

“Sweetheart can we not talk about this right now? Let’s enjoy our day in Hawaii.” Kai extends his arm in Sehun’s direction with his head tilted like a small pup. 

“Just promise me you won’t just disappear and not say goodbye, as if we’re some strangers…” Sehun murmurs staring at Kai’s hand. “You owe me that much, Kai..”

“I’ll say goodbye, alright?” Kai grumbled half-heartedly clasping his hand with Sehun’s. “I promise.” 

Sehun nods his head satisfied, for now, he knows he’ll have his heartbroken by tomorrow afternoon when Kai leaves. He knows this. He’ll pretend he doesn’t though. 

“I think you’ll like the Kona coffee,” Sehun comments intertwining his fingers with Kai’s unconsciously. “It’s bitter, like you.” 

Kai snorts and shakes his head. “Are you trying to get back at me for saying I wanna leave?” 

“Is it working?” Sehun replies trying to not let his smile widen but Kai’s laughter is the trigger and in seconds they’re both chuckling. 

“Not. At. All. Sweets.”   
(—————)

The pair were enchanted by the street market, they drank in the colours, the aromas and the beautiful atmosphere with the cool breeze and the bright sun. Sehun and Kai had a cup of ice coffee in their hands, weaving through the market crowd unhurriedly enjoying the atmosphere. The air was crisp and the ground was gritty stone, there was no irritating music, instead of a busker with a guitar mixing with the people’s voices. 

“This is really strong,” Sehun coughs after taking a sip of his iced coffee, thumping his chest. “I don’t think we’ll be able to sleep tonight, oh my goodness.”

Straw between his lips, Kai raises his left brow in amusement. “Yeah? Maybe your bloodstream will turn into caffeine.” 

Sehun simply sticks his tongue out at Kai, who mimics him childishly. The mood has been officially lifted, the hustle and bustle of the market raised their senses in excitement at all of the stalls they are passing. 

“We have officially done two and three,” Sehun comments stopping by a clothing stall, as he touches the shirt nonchalantly. 

“Coffee and street market?” Kai answers unsurely, but he gets a supportive nod from Sehun. “It’s as if I’m playing some video game of completing quests to win the grand prize.”

They walk to the next stall overfilled with boxes of books in all sizes, covers and languages. Kai begins to leaf through them in interest, taking the occasional sip of coffee. 

“What do you wanna win?” Sehun chatted, their shoulders pressed against one another — inseparable. 

Kai turns to Sehun, their noses inches away from one another and he can see the rosiness in Sehun’s cheeks creeping. “I’m not sure, what do you suggest sunshine?” 

Sehun knows that Kai is purposely making his blush but his knees are going weak, and he needs to resist or he’ll topple over the boxes and make a fool of himself. So he does the only thing he assumes is logical and shoves the straw of his iced coffee into Kai’s mouth, force-feeding him. 

However, Kai stumbles back at the harsh contact of the plastic against the roof of his mouth, losing all sense of the world, gripping onto the corner of a box full of books to balance him but it only resulted in him falling on the ground with the books scattered around him.

The owner seems stunned, unsure of how to process someone falling in the tight space between the rows of books in his narrow stall, it’s a first. Kai stares at the mess that has been created in less than 0.3 nanoseconds and lifts his head to gape at Sehun’s shocked expression who seems like he’s trying to blend into the background like a spare ornament. Kai throws his head back and begins to laugh loudly until his stomach hurts and any tension melted away. 

“Did you fucking stab me in the throat because I teased you?” Kai says in disbelief between laugher. 

“Well, technically erm, it was your mouth,” Sehun answers unsurely his eyes wide like saucers. “I wasn’t trying to kill you, I promise you that.” 

Kai simply laughs harder at Sehun’s genuineness, he stretches his arm out to Sehun who takes it with hesitation but Kai doesn’t pull him down with him, he pulls himself up. 

“If I knew you’d try to kill me with a plastic straw I wouldn’t have even try to mess you, peaches.” Kai snorts, bending down to pick up the dispersed books. He peeks back at Sehun who is pouting and cannot help but beam. 

“I swear I wasn’t trying to hurt you!” Sehun huffed taking the handful of books from Kai and stacking them back into the box. 

“I’m not sure if I want you to come near me anymore,” Kai informs him trying to look as serious as possible because this is more fun than teasing Sehun with flirting. “I know I don’t read but you didn’t have to have to activate your stealth black belt ninja mode.” 

“Kai! Stop it!” Sehun whined loudly, taking a small step forward his pout still evident. Kai pretended to jump back a grin plastered on his face and that’s when Sehun realizes Kai was joking. So he tries to one-up Kai and doe something Kai won’t expect, to throw him completely out of his element. 

“What you gonna do about it?” Kai challenged placing the last book inside the box. 

Sehun wrapped his arms around Kai’s bony frame and pulls him close into a hug, and Kai stills at the sudden contact. What Sehun doesn’t calculate is that he also surprised himself because now he can feel Kai’s rapid heartbeats against his and now he feels breathless.

Kai lifts his arms to hug Sehun back but he’s too nervous, he didn’t know a hug initiated by Sehun would make him freeze like that. Instead, he opts to gripping the bottom hem of Sehun’s shirt, pretending that Sehun’s arms aren’t making him feel secure. 

“You’re the only person that I know that gives indefinite hugs..” Kai says softly, his voice barely above a whisper but Sehun can sense Kai’s ghostly lips against his ear. 

Embarrassed, Sehun lets Kai go and flashes him a nervous smile and takes two-steps back grabbing his coffee cup from where he placed it on the table full of books. “I’m sorry I didn’t realize I’d hug you for that long—“ 

“Don’t apologize, sweets,” Kai cuts him off gently taking a step forward towards him. “You’re warm…I didn’t mind it.” 

With that Kai walked past Sehun and took his heart with him Sehun stands there tongue-tied, trying to comprehend what happened between them, the electricity, chemistry and, how his blood pressure is most likely at an all times high because of Kai basically just breathing. Sehun concludes then and there, that if he does get diagnosed with high blood pressure because of a hug he will have no qualms over it. 

Sehun walks out of the semi-made tent and spots a mop of rose hair across the street admiring another stall owner's items. Upon a closer look, he realizes it is vintage-looking jewellery. 

“That’s really nice.” Sehun compliments pointing at the ring in Kai’s hand. 

Kai’s eyes glinted with happiness at Sehun by his side but he’s trying to not make their hug earlier into something bigger than it is, but the truth was that Kai loved it, he loved being held. “Yeah it really is, but I’m not really a ring person.” 

Sehun picks up another ring rolling it between his index finger and thumb. “Why? I think they’re perfect for all occasions.” 

“Like a wedding?” Kai’s mouth twitches and Sehun nose crinkles at the dumb joke.   
“That was terrible,” Sehun confesses with a snort. “Awful, I don’t recommend you should have a career in comedy.” 

The corner of Kai’s lips quirk up, and he likes this Sehun, how comfortable he is to say what he wants without over-analyzing. “Thanks, I’ll just cancel my tour around the cheap bars back home.” 

“I’ll give you a discount for you love birds.” The stall-owner declares standing up from his plastic seat with crossed arms. “Matching, yeah?” 

“What? No, there’s no need.” Kai shakes his head immediately, he can’t get something to keep from this trip, he doesn’t need to keep things that are from a pretend relationship in a pretend situation. He simply cannot, he’s already too attached. 

Feeling adventurous Sehun takes the ring from Kai’s palm and turns to the seller. “There is a need, it’ll be a souvenir, a memento if you wish.” 

Kai reaches over but Sehun closes his hand quickly, raising his arm in the air knowing fully well he has an advantage in the height department. “Kai it’s a nice memory, please?” 

Kai eyes Sehun in mild disdain and scoffs. “I told you I don’t wear rings, I lose my stuff really quickly. So, don’t get it.” 

Sehun opens his mouth but the seller interrupts. “I can make it into a necklace, put a chain, y’ know? Matching-matching?” 

Sehun’s face lights up at the idea and he immediately hands over Kai’s ring and the seller wastes no time in finding a chain. 

“Sehun I won’t wear it.” Kai finalizes pursing his lips. It’ll mean too much, tomorrow is their expiration date to their fake relationship. 

Sehun raises his hand and fans his fingers out in front of Kai, and quite anti-climactically puts on his ring in his middle finger with raised brows trying to make the moment dramatic as possible. But he just looks like a penguin that is trying to fly with his eyes, and Kai can’t help but chuckle at the endearing sight. 

“Done.” The seller announces holding the now ring-necklace enable proudly handing it over to Kai who snatches it, as Sehun pays. 

Sehun pokes Kai’s chest in an act to get his attention. “You have to wear it now, the rings come as a pair. If only one half wears it, it’ll be a bad luck omen thingy.” 

“You are so full of shit.” Kai shakes his head unimpressed but the lopsided smile tells the opposite story. 

Sehun stretches his hand out. “I’ll help you put it on if you want…do you?” 

And that is what does it for Kai, Sehun’s unsureness and he never wants Sehun to feel bad for something. Especially when he’s done nothing wrong if anything Sehun’s doing a sweet gesture. So, Kai drops the steel ring-necklace into the latter’s palm and turns around mutely. 

“Woo!” Sehun blurs out giddily, unlocking the lock and gently wraps the chain around Kai’s neck. 

Kai tries to not react outwardly, but Sehun’s words are engraved in his mind. He glances at the ring and touches it subtly because now it is one half of a whole and he’ll never take it off. Sehun brought it for him because he noticed how Kai liked it, not because he’s trying to bribe him like every other guy. 

“See? You guys look like the Hollywood couple, aye?” The seller encourages his hands on either side of his hip with a satisfied expression. 

“Yeah the TMZ version.” Kai chuckled finally turning around to face Sehun who looks like a man who’s won the lottery. Sehun’s sweet gesture made Kai think, maybe it’s not the worst thing to actually make good memories instead of avoiding them. At least he’ll think happily of Sehun when they depart. 

“It looks really good on you.” Sehun chirped with a wide smile and two thumbs up. 

Kai pretends to roll his eyes in annoyance, but Sehun soft shove and laugh make Kai join in the silly giggles. 

“Come on, I saw shaved ice a few stalls over. That’s number 4 on the list isn’t it?” Kai doesn’t wait for Sehun to answer, he slips his hand into Sehun’s interlocking their fingers firmly and proceeds to drag him towards the said stall. 

Sehun won’t mention Kai’s crimson cheeks but he’s glad to see him open with his emotions more. 

“I want to get something wild, I’m feeling like I am one of the ninja turtles,” Sehun comments excitedly. “I heard they have these weird flavours, like wet lemon peel.” 

“If you ended up being a ninja turtle, you’re definitely the orange one.” Kai shrugs as if it’s simple math.

Sehun gasps in betrayal. “Excuse you, I am most certainly not Michelangelo. If anything I should be blue Donatello, I have leader-like qualities.” 

“Of a flying squirrel,” Kai adds cheekily, finally stopping at a halt in front of the small shaved-ice vendor. 

“Welcome, what would you like?” 

“Give us a sec,” Kai answers, his attention divided between the colourful syrups and Sehun reading the menu. “Do I have to eat this? I’m literally eating melted sugar.” 

“Do you wanna share then?” Sehun said trying to compromise, and Kai hums in agreement. “Okay, you won’t believe this but there is a flavour called wedding cake.”

“Are you actually serious?” Kai gapes with an open mouth as Sehun points to the flavour on the menu. 

“As I told you earlier, they got wet lemon peel,” Sehun mentions with a raised brow. “Pickled mangos, oh tiger’s blood, also root beer, Piña Colada haha!” 

Kai pulls out Sehun’s wallet from his back pocket, taking a few banknotes. “How about you get the shaved ice and I’ll go find these doughnuts so we can chill at the beach? We’ll finish the list quicker.” 

“Malasada,” Sehun corrects first but nods satisfied with the plan. “How will I find you though? There are a couple of shops that sell malasada’s.” 

Before Kai walks away he flashes Sehun a boyish smile and a wink. “Ask about my pink hair, I won’t go far peaches.” 

While Sehun debates over which flavour they should indulge in together, Kai is trying to find the closest shop. It isn’t like he hated the market if anything he enjoyed it but he’d rather spend time with Sehun down at the beach with the cool waters and warm sun rays instead of doing something they can do back home. 

Which is why it doesn’t take him very long to find a doughnut shop due to the compacted and small street market. He enters the store and lines up in the queue. His fingers gravitate towards the ring around his neck, he just wants to have a good time today and not think about tomorrow. It’ll only aggravate his mood and he doesn’t want to spoil the vibes — they’re in Hawaii after all. 

“Hey, how can I help you?” The girl behind the counter says in her costumer-service voice and Kai takes a step forward. 

“What flavours do you guys sell?” 

“All our flavours are listed on the board,” She gestures to the big chalk-menu that is hung behind her. “So what would you like?” 

Moments like this Kai dreaded. He pretends to squint at the board but the reality was that to him the letters were all jumbled up; dancing in front of him and mocking him for his inability to read properly. 

“Yeah, I forgot my glasses.” Kai shrugs trying to play the sympathetic card in hopes she’ll read them for him. But she does the complete opposite, she pulls out a miniature version of the chalk-board-menu and hands it to him with a smile. 

“No worries, you can have a closer look.” 

Kai is any other circumstance would have walked away but Sehun has been talking about these doughnuts all morning and he doesn’t want to disappoint him. 

“Look. I can’t read very well, alright?” Kai slides the brochure menu back towards her. “So, tell me what you got.” 

“Excuse me, what?” The worker’s attitude shifts completely as she leans back with crossed arms, eyeing Kai up and down as if he’s someone unworthy of her time and presence. “How do you not know how to read? You’re an adult right?” 

Kai’s hands are balled up into fists, he feels like pure shit. He should have never bothered to enter and instead come here with Sehun. He doesn’t blame her for looking at him like some lowlife because that is what he is, he just forgot because he’s spent so much time with Sehun and the gang lately. 

Kai’s face is burning hot with humiliation and for once he’s at a loss of words, this is new territory for him. He always hides his disability very well — he’d call instead of text, he’d pick what the customer in front of him ordered instead of choosing and he doesn’t have a bank account because he can’t write down his own information.

“Look, if you can’t read why don’t you go at the back of the line and let me help the educated customers.”

Just like a ninja turtle, Sehun swoops in beside Kai like a hero standing beside him supportively. “Okay, we can have coconut crème, chocolate, custard, macadamia, cinnamon sugar and candied plum.” 

Kai clutches Sehun’s free hand tightly but doesn’t speak not trusting his own voice so he shakes his head. Sehun laces their fingers together and narrows his eyes at the worker. He’d walked into the shop and heard the spiteful words and how the gutsy and fearless Kai could not say anything back, and it made his chest tighten because nobody deserves to be treated so horribly like that. 

“We’ll get a small box of custard Malasada’s and you,” Sehun reads her name tag. “Lia will most certainly be fired by tomorrow, once I tell my brother-in-law about this situation. You have messed with the wrong people.” 

“I-“ The worker tries to speak but pauses at Sehun waves his shaved ice cone in her face. 

“No, we won’t hear another thing come from that vile mouth. Get us the doughnuts.” Sehun commanded truly indulging himself in the role of his ninja turtle braveness. He doesn’t want that look on Kai’s face to ever appear again. 

The worker simply scoffs and walks away ready to prepare their order. Kai places the money on the counter stiffly, and lets himself fantasize over Sehun being his, and carefully leans back against Sehun’s wide chest — his safety net. 

“I decided against my better judgement to get tiger’s blood to try and be more spontaneous, however, it turns out that it is watermelon, strawberry and coconut,” Sehun explains with an air of lightness, trying to loosen the mood. He placing the cone close to Kai’s face who glances at him before taking a bite. “Not bad, right?” 

“Yeah, it isn’t disgustingly sweet…like I thought.” Kai murmurs softly and Sehun is glad Kai hasn’t retreated into his shell.“Thanks, I could’ve handled it…” 

“Had to prove my flying squirrel skills, are you impressed?” 

“Blown-away.” Kai smiled warmly, and Sehun just wants to kiss him then and there, at how soft he looked. 

The worker comes back with a small pink box and pushes it towards them. “Here’s your doughnuts.” 

“Oh, we will enjoy them very, very much Lia,” Sehun assures still squinting at her under the assumption that she is threatened but she isn’t even amused. “I’ll be thinking of you getting fired when I take every bite.” 

(—————)

The pair are walking on the beach, their hands occupied with styrofoam takeaway boxes from garlic shrimp restaurant they passed by on the way. 

“I didn’t realize you were such a foodie,” Kai notes, balancing the box of doughnuts on top of the garlic shrimp. 

Sehun turns to him with a wide smile, a little shy but happy. “We needed to try their cuisine, within budget of course.” 

“Your brother’s budget you mean.” Kai nudged good-naturedly only to receive laugh from Sehun. 

They continue to walk by the beach slowly but surely getting to the more secluded area as the crisp breeze blows against them. Kai loved this, the beach was his favourite place in the whole world. His best memories were the trips himself and his mother would take to the beach whenever she had a day off work. They’d go and eat ice-cream and play in the water together, just them, without her abusive boyfriends. They’d stay until the sun went down, he never wanted to leave the beach because then they’d go back back to reality in their one-bedroom studio apartment with no hot water. 

Sehun pauses at the sight of a coconut crab shuffling away and Kai bumps into his back, causing the pair to almost drop everything. But Sehun is as solid as a statue and Kai could only freeze using Sehun as a supportive pillar. 

“I can understand why you don’t drive often.” Kai raises his brows and Sehun can do nothing but let out a loud whine. 

“Not true! The car is shared by everyone okay? So it’s already a complicated schedule—“ 

“Whoever is using it, has to pay gas for the whole week right?” Kai exposed, only to receive a side-eye from Sehun who continues as if Kai hadn’t spoken the truth. 

So! After I met you that night, I swore to never drive again because I let a complete stranger no offense,” Sehun looked solemn and Kai wanted to bite his cheeks at how cute he looked. “Drive me home, which has an abundance amount of cons and really no pros—“

“What about sex? You can’t call that a pr—“  
“We didn’t have sex! People will believe you if you keep saying that!” Sehun scolds flustered, his voice a higher pitch than usual. 

Kai can only laugh at Sehun’s introverted-nature because it was endearing. He has seen Sehun evolve into a much more confident and assertive man throughout the time they had spent together and it was amazing but still, deep down he is still a shy guy who gets embarrassed about the word sex or fuck. 

“What’s wrong with fucking me? Or me fucking you actually? I don’t mind—ah ah! I take it back!“ Kai yelps, as he gets kicked in the shin repeatedly by a red-faced Sehun who looks like he wants the sea to come and sweep him away. 

“You better..” Sehun threatened under his breath in the most non-threatening manner, finally sitting down on the sand as Kai follows in tow.

Sehun places the dough box between them while Kai settles down beside him. 

“I am so excited for this garlic shrimp, I’ve been reading the review on the plane when you fell asleep and let me tell you,” Sehun looked smug for a moment, and Kai’s smile widens at the sight. “Nothing but 5 stars all round.”

“I don’t think you can finish up your itinerary today,” Kai says casually opening up the styrofoam box to reveal the overflow of garlic shrimp mixed with the fried rice and greens. 

Sehun furrows his brows in confusion, he pulls out his itinerary and his pen. “Why not? We got the garlic shrimp, we’re at the beach and this is a picnic and we’ll swim and watch the sunset and done.” 

Kai snorts. “Is this how you plan all your dates? A to-do list?” 

“This isn’t a date,” Sehun stutters out unsurely. “Nobody is with us..” 

Kai stares at Sehun and he knows, he knows he shouldn’t say these little comments and self-jabs and hurt himself so he can blame Sehun to stringing him along. But the truth was, that Kai felt like he was stringing Sehun along too. 

“Then what is it?” Kai wishes he swallowed his words back. 

Sehun stares at Kai with an unreadable expression, he isn’t sure what this is. They’re in a verbal bound contract of pretending to be boyfriends, and yet Sehun fell for him and told all his friends about it, and yet he doesn’t have it in him to tell Kai. Far too afraid to be rejected, so he’d rather be in a cat and mouse game with Kai so he doesn’t lose Kai. 

Sehun looks away first, picking up the plastic cutlery and ripping up the paper wrapping around it. “Two friends spending the day together?” 

Kai hums watching Sehun fiddle with cutlery. “Is that it? Just two friends?” 

“Why? Are we more than that?” Sehun says jokily but there was truth behind his words and Kai is searching for those truths in the latter’s orbs. 

“You didn’t pay for the real deal, just a fake boy-toy. Right?” Kai swallows his pride and he can see the hurt in Sehun’s face. 

“I don’t think you're a boy-toy.” 

“I know, I was just,” Kai shrugs helplessly, averting his eyes to his food. “I don’t pick my words carefully, you fucking know that.” 

“Yeah I know,” Sehun breathes and bumps his shoulders with Kai. “I don’t think you need to pay for something real, it’s priceless to me.” 

Kai glances at Sehun and warmth spread across his chest and he wishes Sehun’s words didn’t affect him so strongly. “How do you if it’s real and it’s meant for you then? People play with people for their benefit.” 

Sehun eats a mouthful of garlic shrimp and fried rice and looks up at the clear sky lost in thought. He thinks that too, he hasn’t been in something real and touches his soul in so many differs aspects and corners and maybe that is why Kai is different to everyone before. 

“It won’t be toxic.” Sehun begins softly his eyes up at the sky while Kai’s are on him. “It won’t bring out your insecurities or the worst in you because it’ll bring peace in your life and into your heart. It won’t feel like war either. A war with yourself because you’re forcing it or because you can’t get out of it, and a war with love because part of you knows that it shouldn’t be this hard.” 

Kai doesn’t think he’s been in love before, and Sehun is his first. He’s lucky it’s a sweet love. 

“It won’t feel like a burden too. You won’t have to explain to people why it’s as bad as they think it is,” Sehun reminisces over the countless fights he’s had with everyone over his ex. “And you won’t have to go to sleep wondering if you’re lying to yourself because you’d be sure of it.” 

“Then why does love inevitably end in so many heartbreaks?” Kai murmurs and that is when Sehun turns his focus on Kai, giving him his infamous half-smile. 

“I’d say it isn’t meant to be, it is real but not meant to be. Because there might be fights, disappointments or even letdowns but it should never break your spirit.” Sehun shrugs his smile isn’t one of sadness but of understanding over his past, finally coming to turns of all the bad he refused to accept. “Right time but wrong people, or the opposite the wrong time but right people.” 

Kai wonders if they were the right people for one another but time wasn’t on their side. 

“What I know for sure is this, if it is meant to be and it is true and realm then it won’t come around very often, but when it does, when it’s not another lesson or another mistake when it’s finally yours after everything you’ve endured and everything you’ve been through…” Sehun trails off watching the waves softly clash. “It comes like a wave washing over you. It feels like home.” 

They sit in comfortable silence after that, their unsaid confessions lingering in the air not like heavy secrets any longer but some type of awareness and realization. They ate their food with the ocean as their entertainment lost in the rhythmic percussion of waves on sand.

“So… like I was saying, I don’t think you can finish your itinerary because you can’t cross off having a picnic, because a picnic needs some sort of blanket,” Kai speaks up after a while. 

Sehun lets out an exaggerated scoff.

“The beach is the sea’s blanket, so I don’t wanna put you on the spot but,” Sehun pauses with a plastic fork in the air like a sword and Kai grins at him knowingly. “We are sitting on top of the biggest blanket right now.” 

“I stand corrected.” Kai snorts, leaning back with his legs spread taking in the warm rays. 

Sehun munches on the seafood feeling absolute bliss. It has occurred to him right now, this moment is his favourite moment forever. Nothing in the future will top this moment, having garlic shrimp in his lap, the warm sunshine on his skin and his favourite person beside him. He feels fulfilled. 

“What is left of the list, Sehunnie?” Kai chats shifting his position onto his back looking up at Sehun’s surprised face. “What?” 

“You never call me Sehunnie?” He answers confused, and a little taken back by how his name sounds good coming from Kai’s lips. 

“I call you by your name plenty of times,” Kai argues, his brows knitted together. 

“Not really, no.” Sehun is adamant and emphasizes with a head shake to prove his point. 

“You missing the endearments already, your highness?” Kai grinned teasingly but Sehun rolls his eyes and Kai can’t help but laugh out. 

“To answer your question we only have two things which are, swimming and watching the sunset.” 

Kai sits up abruptly and begins to unbutton his shirt causing Sehun to blink several times trying to focus on anything but Kai’s exposed skin. 

“What are you doing?” Sehun splutters out staring at Kai’s forehead to avoid any eye contact. 

Kai glances at Sehun with a devious smirk and stands up throwing his shirt on the warm sand. “What does it look like? Getting ready to swim. Come on! Loser has to carry the trash back by himself!” 

“I don’t think that is fair because—HEY!” Sehun yells but Kai has already run off. 

Sehun hurriedly stands up and tripping over his own feet but he catches himself at the last second. He doesn’t waste any more time and chases Kai and strips off his top. The pair fill the crisp air with their bubbly, loud laughter. Kai dives first into the lukewarm water headfirst and Sehun seconds him.

In seconds the pair are in peels of laugher splashing each other with the water, trying to drench the other. Sehun doesn’t remember a time where he felt this carefree and it was fun. He doesn’t want it to end. Kai pushes with both his palms a huge human-made wave towards Sehun, practically drowning him. 

“You cheater!” Sehun shouts playfully after gulping air, his arms are positioned to give Kai the ultimate splash-off.

The water was refreshing, and they felt like young kids again with no responsibilities. The sea was so clear; it looked like tiny little glass pieces were encrusted with different types of fishes and shiny diamonds corals reflecting the setting sun. It was a perfect ending to a glorious day. 

After Sehun has successfully won the water-fight they took a time out, exhausted from their play. Kai turns to look ahead at the vast ocean and Sehun mimics him. 

“Look, the sun. It’s finally going down for sunset.” 

“We finished the itinerary,” Sehun says enchanted by the breathtaking scenery of the rich hues of red blended with purples, oranges, crimsons finally settling in. It was a different experience when you’re up close to it like they had been. 

The clouds were cotton-candy, as though they blushed at the warm touch of the sun. Silhouettes of birds flew home across a sky that was now magenta, and the sun was half into the water, but its reflection in the sea made it look complete. 

“Did you know that pollution adds to the making of sunsets? This is because smoke particles are great for singling out colours like reds and pinks making them more vivid. But if the pollution gets too high the sky looks hazy which...“ Sehun is invested in his one-minute TED talk over the sunset, but Kai isn’t listening.

He is captivated by Sehun’s allure with the water droplets trickling down from his chin, chest and hair. Kai loves him, he loves him so much, and he isn’t thinking his heartbeats loud in his ears, so he acts on his impulse. He pulls Sehun by the arm and closes their distance with a kiss. A kiss so tender that the world should stop on its axis and take note of their love for one another. 

Sehun doesn’t pull away, he deeps the kiss and Kai felt Sehun’s lips smile against his own. 

Kai chuckled helplessly beneath his breath, “Jongin. My real name is Jongin.” Then they hovered right there, with twilight behind them quite soundless for so long, simply feeling each other’s presence. 

“Why did you kiss me?” Sehun whispers, he needs to make sure that it is mutual. 

Jongin’s shoulders go lax, and he doesn’t have it in him to hide it any more. 

“I don’t know, okay? I got the urge to kiss you because you are so fucking beautiful and I know you could never be mine because we’re different and our worlds are different and-and I’m sorry that I like you because it scares me so much because I’ve never felt like this before, I never felt like the waves washing over me,” Jongin rants in despair, his fists on either side of him. “But you make me feel like home.” 

“Kai, I mean, Jongin—“ Sehun is cut off abruptly by distressed Jongin. 

“No, please don’t say anything.” Jongin shakes his head taking a step back with a sad smile on his lips. “Just, until tomorrow. Please, I don’t think I have it in me to feel so much.” 

The sun has set, and the star-freckles of the inky sky shine alongside the moonlight. Sehun reaches his hand out to Jongin and intertwines their fingers together. “Tomorrow.” 

Jongin nods his head gratefully staring at their clasped hands and whispers under his breath. “One more day, that’s all I’ll ask for.” 

“I think Jongin suits you more,” Sehun utters softly. “It’s sweet, like you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ♡𝐈'𝐦 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬, 𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤♡  
> ♡𝐈'𝐦 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬, 𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤♡  
> ♡𝐈'𝐦 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬, 𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤♡
> 
> (P.S.) -- There are only 2 chapters left for this story :( 
> 
> I want to thank you all for the support and feedback! Because I enjoy writing and have over another dozen stories ready to be shared and I am so happy our fandom is such a positive and a tight-knit community that we can all contribute our own versions of support for the boys as well as enjoyment!
> 
> (P.P.S) -- As soon as I post the last chapter, I'll post alongside it a new story for you guys to jump on (of course, whoever thinks its good and to each their own lol)


	19. D-Day: The Wedding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> University has been so fucking hectic, I barely have time to even sleep because I packed on 20 hours this term, dumbass I know. I wrote this all on my off-day today. I haven't proof-read it because I don't have time since I need to go and study for tomorrow's midterm. yay love that for me. Love you guys so much!

It’s 10 in the morning and it’s officially the day of the wedding. Sehun and Jongin are still in bed together dozing in and out of sleep, after their full day of explorations on the island yesterday. There’s a repeated knocking and Sehun assumed it wasn’t their door, but the knocking turned into banging and Jongin nudges Sehun with his eyes still closed to get the door. 

“Don’t wanna…” Sehun grumbles, not moving an inch. 

“It’s your friends.” 

Sehun cracks his bleary eyes open and stares at Jongin’s face for a moment in order to focus. Jongin’s eyes are still shut and his lips are pressed together into a firm pout and Sehun really wants to let his fingers dance on Jongin’s softened features. “They’re now your friends too.” 

“I’m warm..” Jongin’s fists a handful of the duvet cuddling even more into the pillows, not bothering to open his eyes. “I’m not moving.” 

The knocker is persistent and Sehun groans loudly as he rolls off the bed in defeat. After mustering up his strength he walks up to the door and opens the door with his bed hair messy as ever. 

“Why aren’t you ready?” 

Sehun blinks mutely as he stares at his cousin, Jongdae, dressed in a suit with his hair gelled back looking quite presentable. 

“What time is it?” Sehun yawns, scratching the back of his head, Jongdae smiles at him knowingly. 

“5 hours before the wedding, but you’re 5 hours are too late on Junmyeon’s time,” Jongdae leans back on the back of his heels amused watching Sehun mutter some incoherent gibberish as he begins closing the door, but Jongdae wedges his foot. 

“Here,” only then did Sehun notice the large plastic-covered suits in Jongdae’s hands, and this is when Sehun decided he has to buy glasses. “These are yours and Kai’s suits, and Junmyeon told me to tell you that Kai is going to use the spare suit,” Jongdae shakes the clothing in his hand. “Because he wants everyone to look put-together so that control freak is now threatening everyone to not ruin their suits.” 

Sehun smiles gratefully as he takes the suits from his cousin. It was sweet of Junmyeon to give Kai the spare suit because Sehun and Jongin’s original plan was to go to the lobby and request to borrow some lost and found suit of some sort. 

“So tell your boyfriend fuck you for getting the special treatment,” Jongdae joked. “Since Baekhyun is now being a bitch about it.” 

“Is that something new?” Sehun retorts cheekily, his smile gentle. 

“No.” Jongdae answers with a lopsided smile. 

Sehun leans against the doorframe, running his hand through his hair his sweet smile still on his lips. “I hope it works out this time.” 

Jongdae nods his head in agreement, his face hopeful with a strike of determination. “I’m going to try my hardest.” 

Jongdae and Baekhyun’s relationship has not only wrecked them, but it also wreaked havoc to everyone that surrounded them. Sehun knows he’s been targeted specifically for the uncalled for agony but he has allowed himself to be put into that position by Baekhyun but this trip has caused electricity to run through his veins, sparks in the air and for the first time in a long time Sehun felt peace and harbours no well-justified hurt in his heart. He’s grateful for life, and all the chaos it has dragged him through. 

“Go and get ready because your brother is driving everybody nuts.”   
“He’s your cousin too.” 

“I don’t share as much DNA as you do.” Jongdae scoffs unimpressed before walking away. 

Sehun rolls his eyes at Jongdae’s antics and goes back into the room. He places the suits on the coffee table and that’s when he remembers he isn’t sharing the room alone. He stares at the lump called Jongin still in bed. He doesn’t quite know what he and Jongin are anymore, at first they were business associates in the loosest terms Sehun thought, then they build up a solid friendship but now their feelings are very much intertwined with one another like vines, unwavering. 

Sehun shakes Jongin softly, but Jongin simply turns his back to him grumbling at the pestering. 

“We have to get ready,” Sehun announces and only then did Jongin glance at him with squinted eyes and a full pout of annoyance. 

“Just lay down for a little bit,” Jongin rolls over lazily to give Sehun some room to enter. 

“Jongin, my brother is the definition of a groomzilla, so please—oof!” 

Jongin has pulled Sehun into the bed with a little force but Sehun didn’t move when he landed on the mattress, welcoming the warmth. Jongin pulls the duvet over their heads, blocking all possible distractions of the world from them. 

With the sunlight still seeping in slightly giving them light, Sehun speaks. “Only a few hours left…before y’know..” 

Jongin stares at Sehun’s uncertain expression and reaches over and slides his fingers between Sehun’s. 

“You’re warm.”  
“So are you.” 

Their eyes are roaming around the others, taking in the last moments before they depart from one another for the last time. This is when Jongin finally has the courage to speak what he has wanted to say for a long time. 

“Can I kiss you? Just for me, I know it's selfish but I—“ and Sehun kisses him before he can finish his sentence and Jongin leans in and Sehun doesn’t hesitate to deepen their kiss, their lips fit like two puzzle pieces. 

Once they pull apart and take shaky shallow breathes, Sehun allows himself to grin at how red Jongin’s lips seemed and he traced over his own knowing they were in the same condition. 

Jongin kisses the back of Sehun’s hand, grinning full of radiance. 

“As much as I love this little cave we made, we need to get ready.” Sehun tugs off the duvet then hops out of bed unable to make his smile go away. 

“I’m going to shower okay?” 

Kai sits up, his pale rosé strands are sticking up in all directions but the correct one. “Okay, Sehunnie.” 

(—————)

“Are you nervous?” Jongin asks quietly with Sehun fiddling with his tie. 

Sehun’s eyes are narrowed in determination trying to knot Jongin’s tie properly. “I’m more excited, I know Junmyeon and Lay are good for each other.” 

Jongin nods his head mutely, trying to not think about the few hours left they have together. They were currently standing alongside the abundant amount of guests in the wedding venue located outside surrounded by the green nature and the clear blue sky. 

“Do you think they’ll stay together after all of this? Like they come from different backgrounds, right? Lay is loaded while Junmyeon is y’ know average.” Kai blurs out, his own insecurities getting the better of him. 

Sehun pauses his fingers still around Kai’s navy tie, he knows what Kai is trying to say and he doesn’t agree with it. Because love is a choice, even after you feel all that is in your heart and go through the ups and downs of a relationship it becomes a choice and love is the one that always wins. 

“Yeah I do think they’ll be together because all that matters is in here,” Sehun pats Jongin’s chest, pulling up Jongin’s tie and tugs down his collar. “There you are, all set.” 

Jongin murmurs his thanks, but he is in a completely different headspace than this morning. Its a completely different game when he’s pretending in front of Sehun and Junmyeon’s relatives and family friends, than just Sehun and the gang. He feels judged a little, and he blames his paranoia for it. 

Unconsciously Jongin brushes his already slicked back hair for the nth time his nerves getting the better of him. 

“Well would you look at that, these two noodles actually brush up well!” Baekhyun hollers waltzing over with Jongdae a smirk on his lips and a champagne glass in his hand. 

Sehun slips his hand into Jongin’s giving him a small squeeze of reassurance. “You guys don’t look bad either.” 

“So today is the day huh?” Baekhyun acknowledges. 

“Yeah, Junmyeon is finally getting married.” Sehun smiles, and Jongin rests his chin on Sehun’s shoulder. 

“Oh I didn’t mean the wedding, I meant you two.” Baekhyun corrects taking a sip of champagne as he sees the colour drain from Jongin’s face. “Oh shit, I didn’t realize it was something sen—“

“Don’t worry about it, I just ate something bad last night.” Jongin shrugs, flashing them a quick smile. 

Before Sehun has a chance to ask Jongin, Chanyeol and Kyungsoo walk up to the guys completing the group. “They are going to serve steak! Like a big slice too!” 

“Why are you acting like you never had steak before?” Kyungsoo tuts, taking Baekhyun’s Champagne glass from him and sips. 

Chanyeol scrunches his nose. “Yeah, I never had a steak before, shit is expensive Kyungsoo. Why do you need to steak-shame me for?” 

Kyungsoo chugs the remainder of the champagne and turns to Chanyeol. “I don’t need to steak-shame you, you’re doing a good job of it on your own.” 

“God this has been such a whirlwind these past few weeks,” Baekhyun stated, waving at the server to come over with the drinks. 

“You better not get drunk before the ceremony, Junmyeon will—“ Sehun gets cut off by everybody else.

“Kill you!” 

Baekhyun throws his arms in the air in an act of surrender with everybody laughing at each other’s impromptu reaction. Junmyeon’s temper is infamous by now, and nobody is going t do anything to fire it up so they aren’t damned for eternity. 

“Ladies and gentlemen, please take your seatings! The ceremony will begin shortly.” An announcement goes off, as all the guests begin walking towards their positions. 

Jongin’s heart is racing, he doesn’t think he can pretend for much longer. Sehun is never going to be his, and this is the end of their everything. He gets dragged to his seat along with the gang near the front, but everything is a blur. 

His fantasy is over, his game is over. No matter how much he likes Sehun, the latter doesn’t’ deserve his type of love. Sehun deserves more, and Jongin knows he cannot give Sehun the world no matter how hard he’d try to. Their lips may be perfect puzzle pieces but their hearts are not. Maybe in another universe, Jongin wonders. 

The wedding was beautiful, Junmyeon and Lay looked dashing in their matching white suits and the whole atmosphere was so full of love, that Jongin wanted to be sick. It’s their first day to be together forever is beginning, but his and Sehun’s is just ending. 

He follows Sehun around like an obedient pup, talking with relatives when necessary and being the perfect accessory like he had promised. Sehun kept asking him if he’s alright but Jongin just needed this day to be over, it’s too intense for him. So he nods and flashes a fake smile hoping to hush Sehun, but Sehun was persistent. 

Sehun pulls Kai to the side, only them. 

“Are you alright? You don’t look like you’re enjoying yourself.” Sehun asks tenderly his hand on Jongin’s arm. 

Jongin takes a step back, creating distance on purpose. This is it, the end of the game. He lost. 

“Yeah, my role is finished. If anything I did overtime,” Jongin joked but it didn’t land. He watches Sehun’s face drop a little before he is fully frowning at the realization of Jongin’s words. “So, I’m going to go, because I have to start stealing the hotel’s fluffy towels.” 

Sehun wanted to hold him, hug him, touch him, make him realize he can stay. The puzzles don’t have to fit perfectly to be together. They just need to be together. Sehun takes a step forward but Jongin extends his arm out in an act of defence and forcefully shakes Sehun’s hand. 

“I, um, yeah.” Jongin murmurs incoherently, and for the first time since the wedding, he smiles. It’s shaky but he’s glad Sehun had been a light in his life. Unable to speak any further, Jongin turns around and walks away. Jongin keeps swallowing the lump in his throat, lying to himself that it doesn’t hurt his heart.

Sehun stares at Kai’s back for the last time, be watches as he gets smaller and smaller the further and further he goes. Sehun lets things slip away without fighting back, he lets people decide for what they think he should do, feel, belief. 

“It’s not fair,” Sehun says out loud at the realization. “I get to have a say.” 

This was the pivotal moment Sehun has to fight or flight. It was his choice, nobody else was going to influence his decisions any longer. He longed for someone good and he found Jongin, so why isn’t he allowed to say the last word. He doesn’t want this to be their last departure. 

“Hey Sehun, can you—Sehun!” Junmyeon’s voice echoes behind Sehun, as he runs with all his might to Jongin. 

He won’t allow it to end like this, they both deserve each other. They are both worthy of each other. He makes me happy, Sehun thinks as he smells the salty breeze and feels the sun’s heat. However, too absorbed into his thought Sehun didn’t realize Jongin was much closer and he ends up engulfing him unable to stop his gangly legs to stop on time. They topple on the grass, with Sehun on top of Kai. Both of them looking startled. 

“What are you doing?” Jongin blurs out. 

“I like you, like-you like-you type of liking you. I like you so fucking much—“   
“You said fuck,” Jongin says baffled, only to get thumped in the chest by Sehun. 

“Chanyeol asked me before about you, he asked what I knew about you before everything. I said I didn’t know much until I realized I did. You don’t like animals or super sweet things but you’ll eat fruit like there is no tomorrow and the only other exception is hot chocolate. You smoke like a chimney, you are very witty, you swear like a sailor, you have a short temper, you’re like super smart, you love the cold weather over warm, you are such a softie, you laugh like a lot, when you’re not guarded, you like to sleep in every time, you’re brutally honest, you don’t care about what people think most of the time, and you don’t trust banks or people but you let me in and that says something, doesn’t it? I fucking love you Jongin.” 

“Will you, be like, my boyfriend?”Sehun takes a deep shaky breath, he has a say, and he has adrenaline. ”You can say no.”

Jongin doesn’t speak, he grabs a handful of Sehun’s shirt and closes their distance with a kiss. Sehun pulls back breathless unsure of Jongin’s final answer. 

“Hi boyfriend,” Jongin says softly as he grins. 

“Sehun grins back so hard that it is almost blinding. “Hi, boyfriend.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> University has been so fucking hectic, I barely have time to even sleep because I packed on 20 hours this term, dumbass I know. I wrote this all on my off-day today. I haven't proof-read it because I don't have time since I need to go and study for tomorrow's midterm. yay love that for me. Love you guys so much! 
> 
>  
> 
> There is a prologue, idk when I'll have the time to write it but hopefully it will be out sometime in march 2020.


	20. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys loved this story so much and wanted an epilogue and I couldn't have been more grateful and blessed to have such kind readers such as yourselves. I hope I did you guys justice, I know it is short, but this online-university-quarantine situation has been more stressful than actual uni? but it's all good. 
> 
> Stay safe and stay indoors :)

“I can’t believe I got a solid 79 in the exam!” Chanyeol grins, bumping shoulders with Sehun as they walk down the street. 

“You should thank Baekhyun for that, I don’t know how he agreed on tutoring you in the span of two days and cover all of the semesters material.” Sehun teases, thinking back to the way the living room looked like a war zone. “Actually how did you convince—“

“Kyungsoo.” Chanyeol says casually, but the corner of his lips move upwards at the mention of his boyfriend. “He may or may not have reminded—“

“Threatened.” 

“—Baekhyun that he has a very embarrassing video of him trying to climb a tree drunk and yelling that he is collect his nuts since he’s a squirrel.” 

Sehun can’t help but crackle in laughter along with Chanyeol, he’s so lucky to have good and genuine people in his life. Sehun pushes open the glass door of their usual hangout spot, Minseok’s Cafe. It’s busy and Sehun tries to use his height to spot his friends, but before himself and Chanyeol can take a step forward, Baekhyun jumps in front of them in his usual oversized attire with his black frames pushes up over his head.

“So?” Baekhyun says, staring at Chanyeol directly. “Am I safe?” 

“79!” Chanyeol shrieks throwing his hands up ready for a double high five from Baekhyun but Baekhyun ignores him and sighs in relief, rubbing his face.

“Let me go tell Kyungie to delete the video.” Baekhyun shrieks, the threat of his reputation being ruined is still on the line. “We’re in the back corner, follow Jongdae’s loud-ass voice.” 

“Wait! Did you order for us?” Sehun exclaimed. 

“Nope, but could you get me a Black Forest cake? thanks.” With that Baekhyun whizzes around the small crowd leaving Sehun and Chanyeol to fend for themselves. 

Sehun and Chanyeol line up behind a group of teenagers as they wait for their turn. 

“I don’t think I’ve felt this airy in a long time,” Sehun admits with a shy smile. 

“Airy? Do you mean you're gassy? Dude, I know Kyungsoo made that fermented bean soup—“ 

“No!” Sehun hisses glancing around to see if their conversation has been detected. “I mean that I’m just happy. We finished our exams, well almost, and then we got the whole summer break!” 

They move up to the counter, as the clerk is busy with replacing the receipt roll. 

“Hi, how can I help you today?” The clerk says hurriedly, smacking the receipt machine, still not bothering to look at either Chanyeol or Sehun too preoccupied. 

“Hello, can I get—“ before Sehun can even finish his breath, the coffee clerk captures him into a strong kiss. 

“I missed you! How did you do on your exam?” Says Sehun’s boyfriend, Jongin, who is also the coffee clerk with a grin. 

“I did good,” Sehun gives him a double thumbs-up, “I missed you too.”

“Well, isn’t that customer discrimination,” Chanyeol teases, crossing his arms “what type of greeting is this?”

“So did you pass? Is Kyungsoo not gonna send me the video of Baek?” Jongin pouts leaning forward on the counter, reaching to hold Sehun’s hands and Sehun gladly interlaces their fingers. 

“79 baby!” Chanyeol grins wiggling his brows as the couple laughs at his excitement. 

“Hurry up, I got places to be.” A businessman in his late 30’s scoffing in annoyance.

Jongin narrows his eyes at the man,” Then fucking leave.” 

The man looks very well startled, as he tries to blubber some excuse on why he doesn’t want to leave. Jongin narrows his eyes even further like a jaguar ready to strike. 

“You have two options right now, you either get the fuck out of here before I drag you or you wait for your turn since I haven’t seen my boyfriend since yesterday morning.” 

“I’ll bloody wait.” The man mutters as Jongin nods in approval. 

“You gonna take a break?” Chanyeol asks Jongin who nods once again. “Alright, let's be speedy so we can torture Baekhyun! One Black Forest, one carrot cake and two hot cappuccinos—“

“And one hot chocolate.” Sehun completes the order, smiling at Jongin knowingly who smiles back finally pulling his hand away from Sehun’s to dot down the orders. 

“Alright, I’ll bring the order over. The guys are in the back corner, the cashmere couch.” Jongin explains, re-adjusting his cap backward revealing his platinum curls. “On the house of course.”

With that, Sehun gazes at Jongin lovingly while Chanyeol drags him away to where the gang is. It was true, Jongdae’s shrilling voice really has to lead them to the rest of their friends. There was Jongdae laughing hysterically at Baekhyun and Kyungsoo’s bickering. 

“Hey, how is everyone?” Sehun asks, taking an empty spot by Jongdae on the wooden chairs getting various short answers of good and fine. 

“Chanyeol tell Kyungsoo that you passed, he doesn’t believe me!” Baekhyun complains side-eyeing Kyungsoo who stares at his lanky boyfriend expectantly. 

“I didn’t pass,” Chanyeol says trying to keep a serious face, as Kyungsoo pulls out his phone and Baekhyun doesn’t know who to strangle first. 

“Jongdae grab Chanyeol! You are not being a good friend!” Baekhyun yells, trying to crush Kyungsoo who thrusting his arm in the air. 

Jongdae pauses mid-attack and looks at Baekhyun unimpressed. “Friend?! You said we were an item!” 

“I said we will only fuck with each other but no labels!” Baekhyun defends himself still in the tangled mess with Kyungsoo. 

“Chanyeol passed, he got a 79!” Sehun exposed in hopes that the soon to be wrestling match won’t happen. 

Kyungsoo looks at Chanyeol to verify and Chanyeol nods his head. Within seconds Kyungsoo taps on his phone while Baekhyun supervises him anxiously. “It’s deleted.”

Jongin arrives placing the plates and drinks to their respective owners on the oak table. “Minseok says you will all have to start paying for your drinks and food.” 

Sehun welcomes Jongin with open arms, as his boyfriend sits on his lap at the crowded table.

“How has your day been?” Sehun’s voice is soft and Jongin interlaces their fingers together. 

“I finished the chapter we were working on last night and got most of the questions correct.” Jongin boasts proudly, his face glowing and Sehun couldn’t be more blessed. 

They have been a real and official couple since his brother’s wedding, and that was 9 months ago and they couldn’t have been closer. Now Sehun is in the second year of university and still lives with his closest best friends with the addition of Mr. General Kitten McMitten who Kyungsoo has taken a strong liking too. Sehun doesn’t get as anxious as before, not anymore his confidence has grown with the help of his friends and boyfriend who always manages to make him laugh at the silliest of things. 

Jongin has quit his previous work of line, and after much persuasion and persistence, Minseok finally convinced him to come and work for him at the cafe, and live with him upstairs in his cozy apartment. Now Jongin is studying hard for his GED with the help of his boyfriend Sehun, and is planning to take it next term and start applying for community college, he has dreams now and life doesn’t seem so bleak and repetitive. 

“Can you weirdos stop looking at each other with loving gazes? It’s giving me a stomach ache.” Baekhyun complains with a mouthful of cake. 

Sehun turns to Baekhyun with raised brows. “Stop pretending we aren’t your couple goals, Baekkie.” 

Baekhyun fake gasps, hand on his heart. “You two? Never!” 

Sehun chuckles at his antics and Baekhyun nods at him with a knowing smirk. Their friendship has gotten much better, Baekhyun doesn’t cross the lines anymore and he may still be an asshole but he isn’t heartless or cruel and Sehun knows he doesn’t have bad intentions. Sehun comes to him a lot of the time for advice and Baekhyun pridefully takes on the role of the mentor, if anything he is a little proud that Sehun sees him in such a good light. 

“Wait a minute, it’s not me and Kyungsoo?” Chanyeol smacks his hands on the table which resulted in shaking the drinks, getting a stern look from Kyungsoo. “My bad babe.” 

Kyungsoo looks down at his drink trying to not let the blush on his cheeks visible for anyone, he still gets shy. “It’s fine…babe.” 

Chanyeol and Kyungsoo have been friends with benefits for a while because Kyungsoo didn’t really want to be in a relationship at the time especially with one of his best friends, he was worried that once he and Chanyeol became a couple, they might never recover their friendship if they ever did break up. Chanyeol promised him otherwise, he promised that he will show him how he can shower him with so much love and affection as both a friend and a lover if he gave him a chance. And now, three months in Kyungsoo couldn’t be happier that he’s given him a chance. 

“Why can’t we call each other babe and shit?” Jongdae complained to Baekhyun, slurping his americano. 

“You weren’t complaining when I called you daddy last night.” Baekhyun tuts, watching Jongdae choke up as Sehun smacks his back. 

Baekhyun and Jongdae were still complicated as ever, but the difference was that they are on that road of trust and recovery. They both grew as individuals in their situations and although they may fight often, they will only gravitate back to one another. Baekhyun opened his heart again to Jongdae who couldn’t be more grateful for a second chance. They don’t have a label upon Baekhyun’s request and Jongdae’s agreement, but they are an item and whether they want to or not their hearts belong to one another, they just have a few more bumps on the road to go but they are a solid pair that is for sure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for showering my story with so much love, I have never felt more blessed and proud. Thank you all!


	21. NEW STORY

Hellllooo my loves! I have started a new story so I don't lose my desire to write or get too sidetracked to write. So if you want to read it, it is this link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23451586/chapters/56215366

 

Synopsis:- Sehun is a 22-year-old college student, living his best life full of parties, friends, and fun. What he didn't expect was that his ex-highschool sweetheart would drop in unexpected in the middle of the night to announce he has a 4-year-old child and makes a run for it. Sehun is stuck and petrified with his unexpected 4-year-old kid in the apartment alone. The only person that pops into Sehun's mind to help him is his ex-best friend, Jongin, whom he hasn't spoken to since the middle of their senior year in high school. 

Sehun's life got flipped upside down and now he is a father in college. He doesn't know the first thing about parenthood, let alone how to juggle being a newly responsible single parent, and his old reckless student life. 

Sehun's life will never be the same, will he be able to handle it? or crumble under the pressure?


End file.
